Halloween Night of Fun and Fright
by cheri1
Summary: 10th Doctor. Part of my Something Old, Something New series. The Doctor, Doc and Alan take their children down to Earth for a little Halloween fun. FINISHED.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

Doc finished adjusting the festive Halloween stocking cap on his head and took a look at himself in the bathroom mirror. It was his first Halloween with his new family and he was going to go with them while they went down to Earth to go trick or treating and go to a haunted house and Halloween party. In truth, he hadn't planned on going but Namid had asked him to come and he loved her so much he was more than happy to go and watch her have fun for the night. What surprised him was the variety of holidays that New Gallifrey had to offer. The Doctor explained to him that when they were planning what they wanted to do with their new home, they decided to include their favorite holidays from all over the universe. So not only did New Gallifrey have the traditional Gallifreyan holidays like Founder's Day, there was also Christmas, Halloween, Valentine's Day and lots of others besides that. So much so that every month there were numerous celebrations going on, even though most people pick and chose which holidays they wanted to celebrate. In addition to the ones that the Doctor and his family chose, over the centuries other holidays had been added, both from other planets and ones that were created by others who came up with ideas of their own. The Doctor explained to Doc that they had taken part in the Gallifreyan Halloween celebration before but wanted to go to Earth this year.

"It's a nice Halloween celebration here," the Doctor told him. "But here the holidays, even the Earth ones, have a little Time Lord spin put on them. For example, the haunted houses usually have the Dalek execution room or the Sontaran bloody battle field, things of that nature. I want to give that a miss this year and just go through a haunted house where I don't have to watch a Time Lord chained to a wall while a fake Dalek zaps him."

Doc had gone with him and Alan and their children to Earth to pick out Halloween costumes since nothing in the costume shop on New Gallifrey interested them. To his astonishment, Alan dragged out some old cow costume that he wore back when he and Rose first met.

"Yup, I wore old Bessie to a fancy dress party in Chicago and won first place," Alan said to him. "I believe I'll wear it again."

Doc thought the costume odd, especially the big plastic udders on the front of it but from the time he had spent with his odd brother, it seemed to fit his personality to a T. The Doctor, on the other hand, found a book on different costumes and makeup and decided to be Mister Mephistopheles from the Cats musical. Adam, who was not going with them since he, Marion, Theta and Frankie were going with friends to a fancy dress party in Orion City, helped the Doctor made the costume and helped him practice the makeup until he looked exactly like one of the performers in the Broadway musical. Rain found a long black dress along with white, black and red make up and vampire fangs. The Doctor took one look at her when she tried on her costume and put on the makeup and claimed she looked like Morticia from the Addams Family. Rose declined Alan's plea to be a farm girl again which upset him. He quickly cheered up though when she picked out a French maid costume instead. Then he went back to being unhappy when she borrowed some of Rain's white and black makeup and made herself look like an undead maid.

"Ugh, now you look hideous," Alan whined when he first saw it. "How can I fancy you when you look like a cadaver?"

As for the children, Chaska picked out a Spider-Man costume while Christopher dressed up as Captain Jack Sparrow which meant that the other Captain Jack had to endure some jokes at his expense for a few days. Sokanon chose Tinkerbell while Namid chose Snow White.

Once he was ready, Doc got in his car and drove two streets over to the Doctor's house. He got out, approached the front door and slowed when he noticed that there was a large plastic three dimensional skull hanging on the front of their wooden door. When he got closer he noticed a little red button was mounted on a tiny strip of black plastic underneath the chin. He hadn't seen it before so he figured they had gotten the decoration within the past couple of days. He stared at it for a moment and then pressed the button. Instantly the skull sprang to life. It's bottom jaw moved up and down while it spoke and its red eyes blinked on and off.

"AHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAA!" it said in a deep sinister voice. "WELCOME, FOOLISH MORTAL, TO THIS HOUSE OF HORRORS! ENTER, IF YOU DARE, BWAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAA!"

"Who's out there?" Rain said on the other side of the door. "Is this a visitor or another kid just pressing the button?"

"It's me, Rain, Doc."

She opened the door and embraced him.

"Hi, Doc. Sorry for asking your identity. My husband fell in love with this thing and insisted we get it for the door. Now every kid in the neighborhood has to press it at least ten times a day and I'm about ready to clobber him over the head with it. How are you?"

"I'm fine, Rain, thanks."

She stepped back and an amused grin spread over her face.

"That's your costume?" she said, pointing to his hat.

Doc's hat was made out of felt. It was orange with a wide black brim that had embroidered skulls around it. On the back of the stocking cap was a plastic skull that was hanging off the end like a tassel. Doc grinned and pressed a hidden button in the front of the brim. High-pitched thunder crashed and Doc turned around and showed her that the plastic skull's eyes were glowing red. Rain raised her eyebrow when she heard a high-pitched scream after the sounds of thunder.

"Do not…let my husband know that it makes noise…or Alan for that matter. Both will beat you up just to take it from you," she said. "But come inside, Sweetheart, and have some tea. My husband is being a slowpoke and I was upstairs getting the children into their costumes, so just relax and wait for us."

Doc nodded and Rain stepped aside to let him in.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The Doctor stood in his upstairs lavatory shaving his face in preparation of applying his makeup. His brother Adam was going to come by to help him apply it before heading out with Marion to meet up with Theta and the others. He finished applying his shaving cream and wet the tip of his razor under the running water flowing down into the basin. He began to shave while he stared at his reflection. He smiled when he sensed someone staring at him and looked down at his ten year old daughter, Namid. Namid had only had her sight for three months so everything was still a wonder to her and it thrilled the Doctor that she was now able to see and explore the world around her.

"Whatcha doin'?" she asked him.

"Shavin' my face," the Doctor drawled as he turned his gaze back to the mirror.

He continued shaving while Namid watched quietly. He glanced down and noticed she was still wearing her street clothes.

"Shouldn't you be in with your mum getting into your costume?" he said as he ran his razor under the water.

"Mum's helping Soki put glitter in her hair and putting makeup on and stuff. I wanna see what you're doin'," she said.

He smiled.

"Just shavin' my face," he drawled.

"Am I gonna do that one day?" Namid asked, pointing.

"Nope, not this. You might shave your legs but not your face. This is something men do," he replied, running the razor up under his chin.

"Namid, where are you? Come here so I can help you get your costume on!"

"Oops, you're in trouble now," the Doctor teased.

"Hurry, Honey, Dada's downstairs. Get dressed so you can show him your pretty costume!"

"Yeah, go and show that homewrecker your Snow White cozzy!" the Doctor said as Namid giggled.

He raised his eyebrow when Namid held her arms out and puckered her lips.

"Um, Rainbow, I have shaving cream all over my face," he said.

He put his fingers to his lips and pressed them against her nose.

"Now go and do as your mother says, Rainbow," he said to her.

Namid ran out of the room while the Doctor resumed shaving his face.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

While Doc was waiting, Adam knocked at the door. When Rain opened it and gave him and Marion hugs, Adam came into the living room and paused when he noticed Doc's hat.

"Wow, that's different," he said, playing with the skull while Marion went to help Rain. "That's your costume, eh?"

"I didn't feel like getting completely dressed up. I got this for Namid's benefit."

Adam put a hand on Doc's shoulder.

"Doc, I love ya but ya gotta lighten up a bit more."

"I'm sorry, I just never fancied Halloween that much. I am trying, really," he said.

Adam squeezed his shoulder.

"Well, I s'pose the hat's a start. Now if you'll excuse me, I gotta go put greasepaint on the jellicle cat."

He hurried upstairs while Doc sighed and shook his head.

"Sorry, Adam, some of us can't be as goofy as Alan," he muttered to himself.

He smiled when he noticed Namid hurrying down the stairs dressed as Snow White. Her long hair had been pulled back in a bun and Rain had applied some light mascara, eye shadow and lipstick to her face.

"Well, well, there's a vision if ever I saw one," he said to her as she ran towards him.

"Hi, Dada."

She stopped short when she saw the hat. Doc chuckled when she neared close to him and touched the soft felt. Doc pressed the button and delighted in her giggle as she held the skull in her hand.

"This is silly, I like it," she said.

"I was hoping you might. I thought it might amuse you," he said. "Now you, you look beautiful. I can't wait to see your brother and sister's costumes."

"Bubber is Spider-Man and Sis is Tinkerbell."

"And your father's a big bloomin' cat."

Namid giggled as she sat down beside him and smoothed out her yellow skirt.

"Yeah, they put the makeup on him the other day and he looks silly but not as silly as Alan. He's a cow."

"I know, I had a dekko at his costume. More power to him, I wouldn't be caught dead in it," he said.

"I like it. I think it's funny."

Namid frowned.

"Dada, how come you didn't get dressed up?" she said sadly.

Doc's hearts ached at the disappointed look on her face and in her tone of voice. He put his hand on the side of her face.

"Love, I'm sorry. It's just that Halloween's never been one of my favorite holidays so I never really wore costumes and went to fancy dress parties or haunted houses."

He smiled when Namid snuggled up against him and he laid his hand on her back while she listened quietly to him.

"I never really celebrated Earth holidays so this is new to me," he added. "I'm mainly here for you since you want me to go."

"But you can have fun too, Dada. You can be silly."

"I'm trying, Baby, I swear I am. It's just that I've been through so much especially in this life and it's gonna take time for me to loosen up as Adam says and be that silly. I used to be the bad guy, you know."

"But you're not anymore," Namid insisted.

"I know but I'm still trying to come to terms with that. I really am trying though so could you please be patient with me while I learn to loosen up and have fun again?"

Namid wrapped her arms around him and kissed his cheek.

"We're gonna have fun tonight, Dada," she whispered in his ear. "And if you don't, I'm gonna kick you in your patootie."

Doc chuckled and held her close while he sent love into her mind and silently thanked the universe for bringing his little miracle into his life.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After Sokanon and Chaska came down with Rain and Marion, Doc admired their costumes and accepted a cup of tea from Rain. Rain and Marion sat down on the sofa near him and chatted awhile while they waited for Adam to finish with the Doctor.

"So what are you gonna be?" Rain asked Marion.

"I'm gonna be a princess but my cozzie's a bit bulky so I'm going to put it on after we leave here. Adam's gonna be my prince and he's waiting till he finished applying the makeup before he puts on his costume."

"Be sure to take photos of them," Rain said.

"Don't worry, Adam will take a million photos tonight. You lot do the same," Marion said.

They looked over when Adam came in the room, giggling hysterically.

"May I present the magical, mystical Mister Mephistopheles!" he said.

The Doctor came into the room and everyone laughed. He was dressed head to toe in a black bodysuit with a tail. His face was white with black around the eyes and black lines representing whiskers and he was weaing a fake fur wig that was teased out with fake cat ears on top.

"Hi, all! Welcome to the Jellicle Ball!" he said.

"Oh Lord," Rain said, putting her head in her hands while Marion laughed. "And I thought nothing could top Alan's cow costume."

"Come on, Morticia, pull your finger out and get your costume on, we haven't got all night."

"We're going in the TARDIS, Doofus Goofus," Rain replied.

"I know, I just like saying that, sounds like I'm in a big hurry when I'm not."

Rain rolled her eyes and she and Marion got up and hurried upstairs while the Doctor walked over to Doc. He played with the skull on his hat for a moment before he spoke.

"You need to give me that when you're done," he said. "Because I know Alan will be wanting it the moment he lays eyes on it."

"It's yours," Doc said, shrugging. "I got it for Namid mainly."

"Well," the Doctor said, sitting on the sofa beside Sokanon and Chaska. "She and Spider-Man and Tinkerbell can't have it. It's mine. I claim it so hard cheese everyone, I get the silly skull hat."

He smiled warmly at his brother.

"How are you doing?" he asked him.

"I'm fine. Forgive the lack of costume; Halloween was never my favorite holiday."

"Nor mine until Dot came along and I had to go with Maddie to take her trick or treating. Then Amelia and Opal and Tara came along and then Angel and Elizabeth and on and on up until these three and Chris came into our lives, now I don't mind it that much. I enjoy watching the children have fun."

"Exactly why I agreed to come," Doc said, rubbing Namid's back while she lay snuggled against him.

"Don't worry, Brother. It takes time. It took time for me to really let go and be happy again but you'll get there."

Doc nodded and smiled. The Doctor's eyes flicked towards the front door when he heard the door skull speaking.

"And I'm betting that's either Alan or another snotty kid who thinks it's cute to press the button and run like hell. Excuse me!" he said, getting up and going to answer it.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

The Doctor opened the door and tried not to laugh when he saw Alan standing there in full costume and makeup.

"Moo, old man," he said while Rose and Christopher, who were also in full costume and makeup, giggled. "How are things in the pasture this evening? I see you've transformed yourself into Poncy Puss."

"I wouldn't talk, Barmy Bull," the Doctor replied while Rose snickered.

"How very a-mooooooooo-sing, Puss Puss, now can we come in or do we have to go off in search of the barn?"

"No, come in but mind you don't squirt milk on my furniture," he said, pointing to the udders.

"I'll refrain from throwing milk all over your things," he said as they stepped inside. "So, is the Doc-ster around?"

"Yes, he's in the living room with the children and Rain and Marion."

"Marion? Ah, I see, Adam and Eve are joining us in the Garden of Eden?"

"No, Adam helped me put my makeup on while Eve had a cuppa and chatted with Rain."

"I see. And what is Doc's costume?"

"Doc will be going as Man with Silly Hat on Head," the Doctor replied.

"In other words, no costume," Alan said, sighing.

"Yes, but be fair, Brother. He's not a fan of Halloween. He's only here because Namid wanted him to go so don't give him a hard time about it, yeah?"

Alan nodded. Rose shut the door and took his hand while they followed him to the living room.

"Oh my God," Marion said at the sight of Alan's costume as Adam bent over laughing.

"Moo, everyone!" Alan said, raising a black gloved hand in greeting. "Behold, the costume that won first prize in Chicago many moons ago!"

"You look like a dork, Uncle Alan," Sokanon said.

She giggled when Alan put his face down next to her cheek, breathed hard on it while he pawed the ground and then made an angry moo as he butted her cheek with the top of his head.

"There," he said, leaning back up. "Tinkerbell is dead and this time not even clapping will save her."

He turned his attention to Doc and gazed at his hat.

"Mine!" he said, pointing to it.

"Oh no, I claimed it first," the Doctor replied smugly.

"Oh, what are you gonna do with it anyway?" Alan said.

"What are you gonna do with it?" the Doctor countered.

"Wear it which is more than you'll do!"

"You don't know that. I might find a use for it," the Doctor said. "Any rate it's mine. Sorry, old Milky Man, you lost out on this one."

Alan leaned down into Doc's ear.

"Name your price," he said in a loud whisper.

"No, Doc, don't cave in to him!" the Doctor said as everyone laughed.

"Um, you're forgetting that I'm here and I want it as well!" Adam said, raising his hand.

"Oh for the love of God, come on children, into the TARDIS until this pissing contest ends," she said to them.

"Alright, alright, we'll back off…for now," Alan said with a wink.

All of them hugged Adam and Marion and wished them a good night while they walked them to the door. Once they were gone, the Doctor looked at the others.

"Right, where to first?" he said, slapping his hands together.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Okay, so any ideas where to go?" the Doctor asked his family while the TARDIS flew through the vortex.

"I wanna go to a haunted house!" Christopher said.

"We will but don't you wanna go trick or treat first?" the Doctor asked him.

Christopher nodded.

"Let's go somewhere where it's warm or warmish since we have the TARDIS," Rose said.

"And your idea of warm or warmish would be…"

"The Bahamas?" Rose said while Rain laughed.

"Could go to Florida," Rain said shrugging.

"What about Arizona?" the Doctor asked.

"It's not too bad in October, low 60's," she said.

"So about 16 degrees Celsius then," Alan said. "Not too bad. At least it's not one hundred degrees below freezing.

The Doctor checked the monthly averages for Orlando.

"It's about the same in Orlando, however, I'm afraid to go to Orlando since a certain amusement park is there and we don't wanna spend the rest of the night going through you-know-where."

"Disneyworld!" Namid squealed.

"Yes, that!" the Doctor replied. "Although I'm sure the Disney Corporation would appreciate the fact that my daughters decided to dress up as their characters."

The children begged to go to Disneyworld and the Doctor held up his hand.

"We'll go there for Halloween another time. I don't feel like dealing with the crowds tonight. I have a time machine so we can go at any time of the year. Let's just set out to do what we planned to do and go trick-or-treating and go to the haunted house and fancy dress party, okay?"

"Can we go to a scary haunted house? Chaska asked.

"Yes, I have to find one first. The TARDIS can help with that," the Doctor replied.

"With real ghosts in it?"

The Doctor paused and stared at him.

"Um…I'm not sure about that. I thought we were going to one with simulated scares. I don't believe in ghosts to be honest so I'm not sure where we're gonna find a real haunted house."

Rose came up to him.

"There was that railway line in Omaha, the one with the ghost light we showed you."

"Ghost light?" Doc said.

Rose walked around to him.

"When Alan and Awinita and I were travelin' the US, we stopped off in Omaha and learned about this railway line that was supposedly haunted by this headless man that was searching for his head. There's this odd light that hovers over the line and it's supposed to be his lantern that he uses while he searches. We sat there and watched it and sure enough this weird light just floated over the line and kept vanishing and came back. Never did figure out what it was. Rain and the Doctor weren't with us at the time but we showed them the memory in the simulation room."

"Daddy, can we go see the ghost light?" Sokanon said.

"Yeah, I wanna go to that first before we trick or treat," Namid said.

The Doctor shrugged and looked at Doc.

"Brother, wanna go try to figure out the mystery of the ghost light?"

"Sure, I'm intrigued now. I wouldn't mind taking a dekko at this so-called ghost light," he said.

"Well, if we're gonna do that, children, then come and get your coats on because Omaha will be cold," Rain said,

"Yes and we are going Halloween night because I'm not about to go any other time with the way we look since I'm sure the Omahaians will section the loonies who are out sitting on their railway line dressed in bizarre costumes," the Doctor said as everyone followed Rain towards the back door.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After grabbing a couple of old blankets and putting some sandwiches, little bottles of Coke, a few mugs and a thermos of hot tea into a picnic basket, the Doctor had the TARDIS search for the location of the train track. Once she found it, she landed in a field next to it. They walked up onto the tracks and saw several people were sitting on it about fifty feet away. To their relief, several of them had Halloween costumes on so no one questioned their bizarre getups as they walked up to the first empty space and laid the blankets down.

Alan sighed and put his arm around Rose when they sat down.

"Ah, this brings back memories, Starlight. Too bad Awinita is out partying with some of her sisters and friends, she'll be angry when she hears we came back here without her."

While they sat there, the Doctor reached into the picnic basket and passed out the sandwiches and soft drinks to the children. He poured several cups of tea from his bigger on the inside thermos. He handed those to the adults and put the milk and sugar down on the blanket so everyone could fix their tea the way they liked it. While they were doing that, the sun was going down behind them and a crisp night breeze blew their hair around. Chaska shoved his Spider-Man mask halfway up his face and ate the ham and cheese sandwich while he and Christopher talked to each other. Namid sat in between her two fathers while Sokanon sat by her mother. Namid glanced up at her father and Doc smiled tenderly when he felt her eyes studying him.

"You scared, Dada?" she said in a hushed voice.

"Nah, I eat ghost lights for breakfast," he replied.

"I eat toast and eggs."

She giggled when Doc tickled her briefly. He took a few sips of his tea before he set it down beside him on the blanket. He lay back on the blanket and gazed at the stars while he put his arms behind his head. Namid watched him for a moment and then did the same thing. Doc glanced at her and pointed to a constellation above them.

"That's Orion," he said, pointing.

"Where?"

"See those three stars lined up there?"

"Yeah."

"That's Orion's Belt. Orion's body is around those three stars."

"Oh."

"Now, over there is the Plough or Big Dipper," Doc said, pointing to another group of stars.

He glanced over and smiled when Sokanon walked over to him and lay down on his other side so she could see what he was pointing to. Doc pointed to Orion again for her benefit and then went back to pointing out the Big Dipper.

"Why do they call those stars Orion and those stars the Plough?" Sokanon asked him.

Well, people in ancient times named the stars after characters in their myths and legends," he said to her. "The Plough is also called Ursa Major or Big Bear and Orion was a legendary hunter."

"Where's Spider-Man at then?" Chaska asked, pointing up.

The other adults chuckled as Doc gave him an amused look.

"Spider-Man's swinging around on Earth," he replied.

"Although…" the Doctor said to him, "I s'pose you could find a group of stars and call that the constellation of Spider-Man if you like. If they could name stars after famous people and things, we can as well."

Chaska looked around and pointed to a cluster of stars off to the north.

"Okay, I name those stars Spider-Man," he said as everyone looked where he was pointing.

Christopher looked around and pointed to some stars up above him.

"I name those Captain Jack Sparrow," he said.

Namid pointed to some stars off to the west.

"Those two stars over there…I name them pee-pee and poo-poo."

The children giggled at that. Sokanon pointed to two more up over her head.

"Okay, I named those Ding-dong and Wee-wee," Sokanon said.

"Okay, children, keep the names clean," Rain said while the adults sniggered.

"I'm gonna name those stars Dartmore and Mong-mong, they're husband and wife," Alan said, pointing to some over his shoulder.

"I'm gonna name some Barmy, Off Your Trolley and Madder than a Hatter cause that's what ya all are," Rose said while they laughed.

Doc noticed Namid was snuggling up against him and closing her eyes.

"Love, you're not going to sleep are you?"

"No, I'm just resting a bit until Mister Ghostie comes," Namid replied.

Doc put a protective arm around her while she laid her head on his chest and closed her eyes. While she was doing that, Chaska and Christopher explored the area around them with a torch while Sokanon walked back over to Rain and Rose and sat down between them.

"Whoa, cool!"

The adults looked over and saw Chaska walking back to them with a rusted railroad spike in his hand.

"Mum, look. What is it?" Chaska asked as he and Christopher walked up to her.

"It's a spike. They drive it in beside the rails so they'll stay in place," Rain said, pointing to the rail on their right.

"Brilliant," Chaska said as they sat back down to examine it.

Just then someone let out a gasp and everyone' s attention was drawn to a spot about a hundred feet away.

"There it is!" Rose said as she pointed to the bluish light floating three feet above the tracks.

Doc tapped Namid on the shoulder and both of them sat up to take a look at it. Doc stared at it intently as it bobbed up and down and floated around the tracks.

"What the hell?" he murmured to himself.

He and the Doctor shared a look and the Doctor shrugged.

"I haven't the foggiest what it might be, Brother," he said to him. "It's not swamp gas or headlights, I know that much."

"Wow!" Namid said in a hushed voice. "A real ghost?"

"I don't know about that, Ya'nala, I'm not convinced it's a ghost but your other dad's right, definitely not car's headlights or swamp gas."

The light flew down the side of the hill and disappeared. By now, the Doctor noticed that several teens in front of them were drinking beer and whisky and a few of the tipsy ones were starting to get loud while they dared their friends to go find the light. The Doctor shook his head, wondering why humans could be so thick sometimes. He flinched when one of them threw his empty vodka bottle at the rail and it broke into several pieces on impact.

"Right, family, I think we should go elsewhere before someone lobs an empty bottle at us," the Doctor replied.

"But Daddy, I wanna see the ghost again," Sokanon said.

"Baby, we'll see and do more things but some of these people nearby are beginning to get drunk and I'd rather not be here if they're gonna throw bottles. Come on, we'll have fun elsewhere."

Sokanon nodded and all of them got up, gathered up their things and the Doctor used the torch to guide them back to the field and the TARDIS.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

"So now where do we go?" Alan asked as the Doctor took the TARDIS into the vortex.

The Doctor glanced at Rain.

"Latara, have you ever gone trick or treating in Phoenix?"

"A couple of times, we mainly went to Flagstaff though because I had several cousins my age that lived there."

"And do you know your way around Flagstaff? I mean, do you know the safe areas where we won't get a bazooka aimed at our heads if we go knocking on the wrong door?" the Doctor said.

"Yeah, we can go to the neighborhood we used to trick or treat in. It's a safe neighborhood and completely bazooka free," she said while they laughed.

Alan grinned.

"What?" Rose said.

"Flagstaff. Where we went after meeting Rain and Amber and where we watched the pine cone drop off the Weatherford Hotel on New Year's Eve."

"And…we spent our honeymoon there as well."

"I know! That was a nice hotel room."

Everyone stared at the wistful look on Alan's face.

"Are you in danger of doing something adult to your wife in the midst of your nostalgia because if you are, warn us so I can get the kids into the next room," the Doctor replied.

"Nah, just rememberin'," Alan said, snapping out of his reverie.

Rain gave the Doctor an approximate location of the streets she used to trick or treat on and the Doctor entered them into the computer. While he was doing that, Alan nudged Rose.

"Hey, Starlight," he said. "Now I can finish my bet."

"Bet? What bet?" Rose said.

"The one me and Awinita made when we were going to trick or treat in Chicago."

"Alan, that was two hundred and thirty five years ago, I'm sorry but you'll have to remind me of this bet," Rose said.

"You know, Awinita dared me to go up to houses in my cow costume and try to trick or treat and see what they'd do."

"OOOOOH, NO YOU DON'T!"

Everyone jerked their heads towards Rose. Rose quickly explained what the bet was about. Doc rolled his eyes.

"Here we are trying to locate a safe neighborhood to trick or treat in and he'll get us shot anyway," he said.

"Will not, I'm just wanting to have a laugh," Alan said to him.

"You won't be able to laugh when someone blows your mouth off with a shotgun," Doc replied.

Doctor walked up to Alan.

"No, you're not going to trick or treat, this is something the kids are doing and although I admit you are a big kid, Doc's right, I'm not gonna watch you scare someone and have them blow your head off with a shotgun."

"But you and me, we're all dressed up. Come on, old man; come with me and trick or treat."

"Yeah, Daddy, come and be our puss cat while we go to the door," Namid said.

Rain raised her eyebrow when she saw the grin creeping over his face.

"No," she said while Rose laughed. "Huh-uh, you don't even dare!"

"Come on, Puss Cat; are you a man or a mouse?"Alan taunted.

"Oi, don't mention mice to me, Moo Cow, it makes me hungry!" the Doctor said.

"Come oooooooooon, we'll be with the children so what are the adults gonna say?" Alan said.

The Doctor thought it over and smiled when all four children crowded around and begged him to do it.

"Alright, I'll go," he said while they cheered. "But if someone points a gun at my head and pulls the trigger, don't cry when I regenerate, yeah?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Crackers, that's what you lot are, completely crackers," Doc said as he stood with Rain and Rose and watched Alan and the Doctor walk up to a house with the children.

All of them had large hollow plastic jack-o-lanterns to hold their treats. The two adults let the children go first and they followed behind as they climbed up the steps onto a grey wooden porch. They walked around the side of it towards a screen door. Namid banged on the door and they stepped back. The moment the door opened, they all held up their pumpkin and yelled TRICK OR TREAT to a young blonde woman who was tall, thin and dressed in grey slacks and a bright red sweater. She opened the door and laughed when she saw Alan and the Doctor.

"Wow, those are pretty impressive costumes you have there," she said to the two men.

She reached into a plastic bowl by the door and gave everyone some tootsie rolls. She laughed when she gave some to the Doctor and Alan. They thanked her and waved at her. She waved back and closed the door while they hurried off the porch.

"See, no shotgun in sight," Alan said to Doc.

"I stand corrected," Doc said, holding up his hand.

They walked over to the next house that had a porch light on. Rain, Rose and Doc watched while they walked up three stone steps to a wooden door and knocked.

"I'm glad we came here," Rose said while they waited. "It's not that chilly out."

"Yeah, it's a nice night," Rain replied.

"I've been wondering, what made you and Alan think of the US when you started your grand tour of the world?" Doc asked Rose.

"Well…we thought of a number of places to start and we decided to come over here because I'd never been and Alan technically hadn't either and we figured that America would be crowded enough that we could find places to eat or sleep when we needed to and there would be a lot to see and do and we were right," she said. "That whole trip was wonderful. We had some danger along the way but if we hadn't gone we never would have met Awinita or Rain or Amber or Rain's dad, John, or Mingxia or Imiko. Not to mention the Doctor wouldn't have been reunited with us. I have so many fond memories of being here. Especially Sedona since Alan and I wed there. Much more beautiful wedding than the one we had in London."

They smiled when Alan, Doctor and the children walked up to them.

"Still no shotgun, M&M's though," Alan said happily.

"Okay, okay, I was wrong but then again you are with children and not knocking on doors by yourselves. Then I think they would be grabbing the shotgun," Doc replied.

They headed towards the next house. Namid took Doc's hand.

"Dada, come with me to this next house. I want both my daddies with me while I trick or treat."

The Doctor glanced back at Doc and smiled at that when he nodded and squeezed her shoulder.

"Come on, Mummy, come with us," Christopher said to Rose.

"Yeah, Mummy, come on," Chaska said to Rain.

The men laughed as Rain and Rose glanced at each other, shrugged and followed them up the steps towards the next door.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

By the time they called it quits, everyone's trick or treat bucket was filled to the brim, including the Doctor and Alan's.

"Ah, jolly good hunting everyone," Alan said. "We had a successful night…cept…"

He looked into the Doctor's bucket and mimed counting his candy.

"What? You have three more sweets than I do, how dare you get more than me!" Alan said while the children laughed.

"I'm older, I have seniority so I get more sweets," the Doctor said smugly.

Alan glared at him for a moment then the children laughed when he slowly began to paw the ground with his shoe while he let out loud snorts.

"Are you threatening me, Mister Potential Burger?" the Doctor said while everyone laughed.

"Mooo!" Alan said in a high-pitched voice.

"Oh yeah, MROW!" the Doctor said, holding up his hand like a claw.

Alan grinned. He lowered his head and bumped the Doctor's hip while the children giggled.

"Mooooo!" he lowed.

"I'll moo you in a minute, Cud Chewer!" the Doctor said.

He mimed clawing Alan across the face and hissed at him while Rain and Rose glanced at each other and shook their heads.

"Moooo!" Alan said loudly as he started to charge him.

The Doctor stepped aside at the last minute.

"Ole!" he said as Alan went past.

"Get em, Daddy, get em!" Sokanon squealed.

"No, Daddy, get him!" Christopher yelled to Alan.

"You know, looking at the two of you, it's hard to believe you're me," Doc said as Alan tried to charge the Doctor again.

The Doctor slapped Alan's head when he ran past him.

"Ole!" the Doctor said.

He paused when he felt someone stroking his back.

"Nice kitty," Namid said as she petted his back. "Good kitty. You be a nice kitty now."

The Doctor shook with silent laughter while everyone else laughed loudly. He let out a rrrrrowr and purred while he circled around his daughter, bent his head down and began to rub against her.

"Mrrrrow!" he said as he leaned into her.

"Hey, you be good, Kitty! I'm gonna fall over!" Namid said as she tried not to laugh.

"Mrrrrow?" the Doctor said, inches from her face.

He froze and stared at her with wide eyes while Namid giggled.

"Mrrrrow?" he said while Rain slammed her face onto Rose's shoulder and both of them laughed.

"Nice Kitty," Namid said, stroking his back. "You be good now, Puss Puss."

"Mrrrrrrrrrrrrow!" the Doctor said.

He paused when he felt Namid grab his tail and begin to play with it, making it undulate up and down.

"Mrrow?" the Doctor said, looking at her.

He hissed at her and held up his hand like a claw as he menaced her. He looked back at Doc when he tapped him on the shoulder.

"Oi, quit threatening my daughter with your so-called claws."

"Leave me alooooooone, Hooooooooomwroooooecker!" the Doctor yowled at him.

Alan tapped Doc on the shoulder and pointed to the felt horns on the cow hat he was wearing.

"I can kill em if you want," he said.

"You stay out of this, Moo Moo," the Doctor said to him.

"Make me, Grizabella!"

"I'm Mister Mephistopheles, thank you very much!"

"Whatever, Rum Tum Tugger, talk to the hand," Alan said, holding up his left hand as he walked away.

He jerked his body around and ran when the Doctor hissed at him and gave chase.

"I'll Rum Tum Tugger you, Cloney Boy!" the Doctor yelled as he ran after him.

Doc looked at Rose and Rain while the children giggled and watched the chase.

"And you're still sane after being married to those loonies all these years because…." he said to Rose and Rain while they giggled hysterically.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

"Right," the Doctor said when they were back in the vortex. "So, everyone got their sweets and we can now move on to the next thing."

"I wanna go haunted housin'," Namid said.

"I wanna go to a party," Sokanon said.

"I wanna go to a REAL haunted house," Christopher said.

"Me too," Chaska added.

"I wanna go home and pass out on the sofa but I'm sure that's not an option," the Doctor said.

Just then, his mobile rang. The Doctor hushed all of them before he hit the talk button and began to sing before the person could answer.

"OH, OH, IT'S HALLOWEEN NIGHT. EVERYBODY IS DYING OF FRIGHT! CAUSE I'M GONNA SCARE ALL THEM JUST RIGHT, BOO BOO BOO BA DOO. I'M GONNA GET ME TRICKS OR TREATS AND LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS OF SWEETS. CAUSE SWEETS ARE BETTER THAN ANY MEATS, BOO BOO BOO BA DOO!"

"Alan, cut the crap and give the Doctor the phone," Jack said angrily.

"This is the Doctor," the Doctor said while everyone laughed.

"It…is?" Jack said hesitantly.

"Would you rather talk to someone else?"

"Someone saner than you? Yes," Jack said.

The Doctor handed the phone to Doc.

"Hello, this is Doc," he said.

"Doc, this is Jack. Thank God, you're sane so I can speak to someone who won't sing in my ear and act like a loony," Jack said.

"I will do my best to keep the singing and looniness to a minimum," Doc said while everyone else snickered. "What can I do for you?"

"Where are you?" Jack asked.

"In the TARDIS in the vortex," Doc said.

"What have you done so far?"

"We went and looked at some odd ghost light in Omaha and just went trick or treating in Flagstaff, Arizona."

"Ghost…light. You mean that weird light Alan and Rose saw that floats above the train tracks?"

"That's the one."

"Damn, we saw that while we viewed their memories in the simulation room. That would have been far more interesting than here."

"Where's here?" Doc said.

"We're at the Gallifreyan Arms hotel in city center. They're having a Halloween party and some friends invited me and Ianto, Donna and Tara to come but I have to say, Gallifreyans have a long way to go before they get Halloween right because we're all about to go to sleep. So we wondered what you were doing and if we could come along?"

"Hang on."

Doc lowered the mobile and relayed what Jack said to everyone. The Doctor shrugged.

"Sure, they can come."

"Doctor says it's okay," Doc said to Jack.

"Great, where does he want us to meet?"

Doc repeated the question.

"I'll pick him up outside the hotel. I know where it is," the Doctor replied.

Doc relayed that to Jack.

"Great, we'll be waiting."

He gave Doc the approximate time and the Doctor punched in the coordinates when Doc told him. He ended the call and threw the mobile back to the Doctor who put it back in his pocket.

"More the merrier then," he said as the TARDIS turned in the vortex and went back towards New Gallifrey.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Jack and the others were waiting for them when they landed directly beside the curb outside the Gallifreyan Arms hotel. The Doctor opened the door and peeked out. He looked at some people standing nearby.

"There're your friends that invited you to come?" he asked Jack, pointing to them.

"No, they're staying here. We told them we had another party to go to and they were okay with that," Jack said as everyone walked to the door.

"Anyone I know?" the Doctor said to Jack as they let everyone else go inside.

"You know Jaros?" Jack asked.

"Yeah, he was one of my pupils when I taught at the academy."

"Well, he's with us along with Micah, Zeron, Westie, Pon and Jan."

"Don't know the rest," the Doctor said.

"Figured as much. Yan and I met them in a pub one night and got to be friendly with them."

"Oh that figures," the Doctor said, rolling his eyes. "Well, get in or get out, one of the two."

Jack patted him on the shoulder and stepped inside. The Doctor closed the door and a moment later, the TARDIS was back inside the vortex.

"As we were saying before Jack rang us, what's next, we were debating haunted house or fancy dress party."

"I vote haunted house since we just came from a party," Ianto said.

"Yeah, me too," Jack added.

"Star?" the Doctor said to Tara.

"I can do either one…but…can I have a piece of candy?" she said, gesturing to the plastic pumpkins under the console.

"Oh, if you must," the Doctor teased.

He found his bucket and handed it to her.

"The whole thing?" Tara said.

"No, not the whole thing, you daft woman," the Doctor said while everyone laughed. "Get a few sweets out but leave some for me. Don't unhinge your jaw like a boa constrictor and eat everything in one go."

Tara looked at Donna.

"Donna, you want some?" she asked.

Donna came up and they looked through the candy.

"I really shouldn't. I'm trying to watch me weight," Donna said.

"Oh for heaven's sakes, Donna, you don't need to diet," Jack said.

"I agree, you look lovely as is," Ianto added.

Donna blushed and smiled at them.

"Thanks, guys," she said to them.

She picked out a couple of suckers while Tara got a couple of small bags of M&M's and a tootsie roll. She offered the candy to Jack and Ianto, but both declined.

"Nah, not in the mood right now," Jack said. "Thanks though."

Tara put the pumpkin back under the console while the Doctor asked the TARDIS to scan for some good haunted houses.

"Now if we do this, you're gonna be okay?" he asked Namid and Sokanon. "Because you ended up screaming at the end of Friday the 13th a few months back."

"So did Donna," Jack said.

Donna rolled her eyes while Jack and Ianto sniggered at that.

"I'll be okay, Daddy," Namid said.

"Yeah, as long and you and mummy are there, I won't get scared," Sokanon added.

"I didn't get scared anyway cause it was just a movie," Chaska taunted.

"Oi!" the Doctor said when Sokanon tried to hit him. "We'll have none of that! Chaska, quit taunting your sister. I've seen you scared before so don't act like it's never happened to you."

He turned his attention back to the monitor when ten possible choices came up. He studied all of them, clicking on them if they had websites and searching through them. Rain came up, gently folded her arms and put them on his back.

"Anything?"

"Some of them don't look too bad. However, are we wanting to continue this going where it's relatively warm? Because there are two in Texas that look scary enough."

"Ooo, Texas, home of cowboys!"

Jack gave Ianto an innocent grin when he eyed him after hearing Jack say that.

"I didn't mean anything by that, Yan. In fact, I'd think you'd look cute as a cowboy."

Ianto blushed when everyone looked his way and grinned. The Doctor brought up the information on the two haunted houses in Texas.

"One is called Slaughterhouse of Terror, anyone feel like visiting a haunted abattoir?" he asked, looking around.

"What's the other one?" Donna said.

"Fright Mansion, common or garden haunted house, I think."

"What else is there?" Ianto asked.

"Well…TARDIS picked out ones in Texas, New York, LA, London, Edinburgh, Tokyo and one in Sydney."

"And these are the ones she thinks are the best haunted houses in the entire world?" Jack said skeptically. "She, who is a ship who doesn't go to haunted houses, is picking out the best haunted houses for you."

"Do you have any ideas then, Harkness?" the Doctor said. "Cause if you know a really good haunted house, I'd love to hear where it is."

"Well, Tokyo? What's the one in Tokyo?" Jack asked.

"It's called Doomsday House if you translate it into English," the Doctor said, glancing at him.

"Well, I'm with the rest of you. I'd rather pick a warm spot," Jack said.

"Okay, so perhaps a tossup between Texas, LA and Sydney?" the Doctor said.

The Doctor checked the average temperatures for October in all three places.

"They're all about the same temperatures, so wherever you lot wanna go," he said, shrugging.

He glanced up when the TARDIS started to rumble out laughter.

"What? What's so funny?" the Doctor said.

There was a jolt and the TARDIS suddenly changed course. Everyone hung on to the rim of the console while the buckets slid across the grate to the back wall.

"Oi, where are you taking us?" the Doctor demanded of her.

The TARDIS didn't answer and a few minutes later, there was another jolt and she landed and powered down.

"Oh no, now what has your barmy ship gone and done?" Donna asked.

"I don't know, but knowing my TARDIS and her sense of humor, I'm sure it'll be a joke at my expense."

He beckoned to the others and they followed him to the door. He opened it and felt warm air hit his face while he glanced up at the starry sky and the full moon above.

"Okay, it's still Earth, it's night and it's warm," he said to the others before he came outside.

He glanced down and noticed sand under his feet. He looked around and saw mesas in the distance.

"We are in the Southwest, I gather," he said, pointing to the mesas.

He stood and admired them for a moment while the others stepped outside and looked around.

"Okay, why did the TARDIS bring us here then?" Jack said to the Doctor.

They heard Alan laughing.

"I think I know why," he said.

They turned and noticed he was behind the TARDIS staring at a huge billboard. They walked up beside him and he pointed to it. The Doctor rolled his eyes at the stereotypical big headed alien on the right side of it and everyone else laughed when they read the words that were right beside it.

HAUNTED SPACESHIP. COME AND SEE THE ALIEN TERRORS FROM BEYOND THE STARS. ROSWELL, NEW MEXICO. TWO MILES STRAIGHT AHEAD.

The Doctor flung open the door of the TARDIS.

"Oh, ha ha!" he said to her as he stuck his head inside. "Yeah, that's a real knee slapper alright!"

"I wanna see the haunted spaceship, Daddy," Sokanon said, walking up to him.

"Yeah, me too. It sounds cool," Chaska added as he came up beside her.

"Yeah? Well, you know we're aliens to the humans so you're more than likely gonna see what they would do to us if they found out we weren't from Earth. Like…dissect us," he said to them.

"Aw, come on, Doc, it'll be good for a laugh!" Jack said, walking up and putting his arm around him.

"I'm the Doctor, dearie, that's Doc," the Doctor said, pointing to his brother.

"Come on, Doctor, let's go see the haunted spaceship!" Jack said with wide eyes.

The Doctor looked at the faces of his family and shrugged.

"Fine, fine, one haunted house is as good as another, I s'pose. However, Miss Halloween Ha Ha here will be taking us closer to the spaceship since I'm not gonna walk two miles to get there. So everyone back inside and let's get this over with."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

The TARDIS landed directly behind the haunted spaceship. When the Doctor and the others stepped outside, they noticed that the back of it was a large two story cinderblock building that was painted white. In the front someone had constructed half of a Frisbee shaped flying saucer. The set piece was painted metallic silver and a doorway had been cut out of the middle of it that led to the actual door in the building. Everyone filed out of the TARDIS and Jack shut the door behind them while the Doctor fiddled with his magic wallet and pulled out fifty dollars to cover admission.

"This is gonna be fun!" Christopher said as he held his parent's hands.

"Oh yeah, can't wait to see what sort of horrifying aliens they have in here," the Doctor said as they got in the queue behind three more people.

While he waited to enter, he heard Namid giggling and turned to look down at her.

"What's so funny, Snow White?" he said.

"You look like a biiiiiiig puss cat, Daddy," she said.

"Yeah, well your mum looks like Morticia from the Addams Family," he said, pointing to her while she stood behind her children.

"Well at least I don't look like Morris the Cat's demented cousin," she replied.

The children giggled when the Doctor blew a raspberry at her.

"Calm down, Kitty Cat, before we have you neutered," Jack said as he and Ianto stood at the back of their group.

"Least I had the guts to wear a costume, Harkness," the Doctor replied. "None of you lot even tried."

"Because it wasn't that kind of party, Puss-in-Trainers," Jack replied. "Besides, even if it were, I wouldn't dress myself head to toe in one."

"You're just jealous because I look so good," the Doctor said airly as he got up to the ticket booth.

While he was paying for their admission, Jack looked at Ianto, pointed at the Doctor and spun his finger around his ear. Ianto grinned and patted his shoulder while they waited for the Doctor to finish paying their way in. When he was through, the rest of the family followed him through the doorway, inside it was a narrow corridor that led to the actual doorway of the building. Little colored lights were mounted in the wall on both sides.

"Ooo, preeeeetty!" Jack said while they giggled.

They entered the actual doorway and noticed that there was another narrow corridor made out of plywood and painted silver. It led them to the first tableau. The scene depicted a terrified man who was strapped into a chair that resembled a dentist's chair. The alien was the stereotypical Andromedan alien who was standing beside his frightened captive menacing him with what the Doctor swore was a dentist's drill.

"Call me crazy," Jack said, "but is the alien playing dentist here?"

"Apparently, he loves abducting random humans and giving them root canals for a giggle," Ianto said.

The Doctor, Alan and Doc shared a glance when a speaker mounted in the ceiling above the scene suddenly switched on. They heard the sound of a dentist's drill.

"NO!" They heard a man screaming, "no, no, no. NOOOOOOOOOOO!"

"Daddy, what's going on?" Namid asked the Doctor.

"Apparently, humans think Andromedans kidnap them so they can fill in their cavities," the Doctor replied.

They walked on to the next tableau further down the corridor. On the way there, the Doctor noticed Namid seemed glum.

"What's wrong, Rainbow?"

"Daddy, I wish the TARDIS could come with us," she said while they stopped and stared at three lizard aliens who were preparing to perform surgery on a human.

"Come with us?" the Doctor said, confused.

"Yeah, she takes us places but then she has to sit there while we have fun. She can't come in here with us."

"That's true," Alan said, "the old girl's a patient sort, waiting on us while we have adventures outside her box."

The Doctor snickered and projected an image into everyone's heads while they were looking at the aliens. They saw the TARDIS in his vision, except it had two square eyes where the front windows were and a huge mouth running across the doors. It had little blue cartoon-like arms and legs and it waved at them.

"That's cute! Too bad she doesn't look like that," Rain said while the children giggled.

The cartoon TARDIS danced around while a cartoon Doctor stepped into view.

"And now," Cartoon Doctor said," it's time for everyone's favorite telly program, TARDIS and friends! Today's episode…the spooky haunted house!"

The scene shifted and the children laughed when the Doctor and cartoon versions of everyone who was with him in the haunted house were walking along the corridors.

"This was a good idea, Doc," Cartoon Jack said. "But I don't know if we should have brought TARDIS along with us. She might get scared!"

He hooked his thumb back and the scene widened out to show that Cartoon TARDIS was walking along behind Namid. Namid giggled while she watched the cartoon TARDIS whistling cheerfully. Suddenly, a man dressed as an alien jumped out in front of them and yelled BOO at the top of his lungs. Everyone laughed when Cartoon TARDIS turned completely white from the bottom up and then with a thud, fell over backwards in a dead faint.

"Oh no!" Cartoon Namid said, rushing to her side. "Wake up, TARDIS!"

"See, I told you it was a bad idea to bring the box!" Jack said to the Doctor.

The Doctor turned towards everyone's mind's eye, gave a sheepish grin and said…

"That's my TARDIS!"

Everyone laughed when a big THE END appeared over Cartoon TARDIS while she waved goodbye to them.

"Was…that what you had in mind, Namid?" the Doctor said as they walked on.

She giggled.

"Yup, I wish she could do that."

Just then, a man dressed in a skull mask and dark clothes opened a hidden door in the fabricated wall. The children screamed when he yelled BWAAAAAAAA and grabbed at them before shutting the door again.

"Apparently, I wasn't far off the mark with the whole jumping out alien scenario," the Doctor said to them.

They turned the corner and came up on a small nook where a statue of a robot Terminator stood.

"Um, wasn't he from Earth originally?" Rain said. "I thought he was from Earth's future, not outer space."

The Doctor shrugged while they laughed.

"Apparently there's a race of them from outer space and we just don't know it."

"What is it, Daddy?" Namid said, studying it.

"It's called a Terminator. It's supposed to be a killer robot that kills humans when machines take over the Earth," the Doctor replied.

"For real or is this a fake robot?" Chaska asked him.

The Doctor stared at him for a moment and then a grin spread over his face as he stepped up to it.

"Oh, this is real alright!" he said while the adults laughed. "See, I was in the future and faced down four hundred thousand of these buggers, all out for me blood. I barely escaped by the skin of me teeth."

"You did not, Daddy," Namid said while they laughed.

"Sure I did, now this one here, this was Bruce! He was the meanest one of them all but I cleaned his clock, didn't I, Brucie boy?"

He patted the statue on the shoulder and they walked on. The next nook they came to contained a stature of the Predator alien. The Doctor went up to it.

"Now this one was named Nigel," he said to them while they laughed. "This git likes to hunt down its prey and that's what Nigel did to me. I was walking along, minding me own business as usual when Nigel catches me in a net and then he sorta drops me into the arena and I spent the next few hours just running round and round while Nigel tried to zap me. Eventually I grew tired of doing that but it took hours because you know I have a long fuse and don't get angry very easily. But once I did, I grabbed this sot by his dreds and I just flung him around and around me head till he went WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO…KER-SPLAT! And that was the end of Nigel."

"You did not, Daddy, Sokanon said.

"Did too. Nigel snuffed it, thanks to yours truly. Now! On to the next alien whose booty I kicked!" he said, leading them away.

They turned another corridor and saw several cell bars built into the walls on either side of them. Behind the bars, men and women dressed in rags reached out for them and begged for help.

"HELP US, THE ALIENS ARE GONNA DISSECT US!" they screamed, grabbing at them while they went past them.

Alan paused at one of the cages when a blonde female tapped him on the shoulder.

"Hey, you're kinda cute in that little cow costume," she purred. "Wanna free me and we can go get a drink?"

Rose came up beside him and flashed her wedding ring before grabbing Alan's hand.

"Bitch," the blonde muttered as she pulled him away.

Doc stopped in front of her and the blonde instantly put her smile back on her face.

"Wow, another cute guy," she said.

"Three, actually. There's one in the front you musta missed while you were screaming at us but then again he is dressed as a cat and my other brother is dressed as a cow," he said, pointing up to the Doctor. "Actually, there's six of me in total."

"Six! Six cute guys just like yourself?"

"Yes, but I don't fancy blondes, at least blondes like you who call my brother's wife a bitch when she reveals to you that she's married to him. I was just informing you that there are five others that look like him and you'll never get a single one of us. Good day!"

He sniggered when he heard the woman mutter a curse at him while she flipped him off.

They turned another corner and walked out of the corridor through a doorway into a pitch black room. The moment they were all inside, the door slammed behind them and they were left to stand there in complete darkness.

"Hello?" Alan said. "Cooo-eeee, alien creatures? Hello?"

Suddenly, strobe lights mounted in all four corners of the room came on and they watched as people dressed in assorted alien masks and robes ran around them, waving their arms around and screaming. The Doctor watched them all with a bored expression on his face. He glanced over when Alan walked up to him and mimed smoking a joint.

"Oh wow, I am like…totally baked," he said after he mimed taking another hit off his joint. "How 'bout you, wanna try it so you can enjoy the pretty flashy lights?"

The Doctor giggled and mimed taking the joint from Alan and taking a hit off it.

"Woooooooooow, Psychedelic," he said in a stoned voice while the rest of the adults laughed.

He waved his hand around and watched as it appeared to be moving in slow motion.

"Woooooooooooooow!" he said in the stoned voice while Alan bent over laughing. "It's working already. My hand is moving soooooooooo sloooooooooooooow!"

"What are you doing?" Christopher asked, coming up beside his father.

"Doing something you will never be doing in your lifetimes if you expect to live," Alan said while the Doctor chuckled.

The Doctor let out a sigh when the aliens continued to run around them.

"Okay, we get it, you're scary, can we go now?" he said in annoyed voice.

Alan waited till one dressed in a gargoyle mask ran past him before following him.

"HI, I'M AN ALIEN TOO! CAN I JOIN IN THIS INTERGALLACTIC MAYPOLE DANCE YOU'RE DOING?" he yelled while his family laughed.

The gargoyle looked back at him.

"Hiya, fellow alien, just having a jog round the captives," he said cheerfully to him.

"Fuck you!" the man in the mask replied.

"Fuck me? Wouldn't that produce some sort of hellish alien/human hybrid that must never see the light of day?" Alan said.

The gargoyle threw up his hands. Alan watched as he trotted over to another door across from where they had entered and opened it up.

"Thank you!" the Doctor said as Alan fell in line with the others and they all marched out. "Awfully decent of you!"

The people all stepped back and let them go through.

"Thanks, Alan," Jack said when they all got through and the door was shut behind them.

"No worries, was getting bored with that room anyway," he said, shrugging.

They managed to walk a few feet before they realized the floor of the corridor they were in was made of rubber that sank the moment they took a step.

"Hey, you can bounce on it!" Namid said.

The adults stopped and watched while the four children bounced around. Just then another door beside them was flung open and they screamed loudly when a man wearing a Freddie Krueger mask jumped out and yelled at them before going back inside.

"And a Rrrrraaaw to you too!" Alan yelled.

"Daddy?" Christopher wimpered.

"Yes, Frog?" Alan said, walking up to him.

Christopher pulled on the front of his costume and when he bent over, he whispered something in his ear.

"Oh," Alan said, standing up and looking around.

Rose came up beside him.

"What is it?" Rose asked.

The Doctor was standing next to him. His eyebrows rose when he heard Alan saying, "He wet himself," softly in her ear.

Rose stared at Alan and shrugged.

"We'll have to go through the rest of the house to get back outside to the TARDIS," she said.

"Allow me, Rose, I heard what the problem was," the Doctor said, stepping past them.

He walked over to where the door was and banged on it.

"Hey! Open up, I need to ask a question!" he yelled.

The door opened up and the man stuck his head out. He raised his mask to his forehead and the Doctor saw a young man's face underneath it.

"Yeah?" he said.

"We have an emergency. Is there a way out of here without going through the rest of the house?" the Doctor said.

"Yeah, if you come with me, I can lead you outside."

"It's not for me. It's for my nephew, but…thanks."

"Come on, Chris, we'll get you sorted out," Alan said, taking his hand.

The man stepped back and let Alan and Chris pass before he shut the door back behind them.

"What happened?" Tara asked.

"Chris wet himself after that bloke jumped out," Rose said.

"He peed his pants?" Chaska said.

"Yes and you'll refrain from making comments about it. He's embarrassed enough as it is without you pointing it out," the Doctor replied.

"I won't say anything, Daddy."

"Good, now let's hurry up and get out of here so we can meet back up with them," the Doctor said before all of them continued down the corridor.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

The Doctor and his family entered another room and the door immediately slammed shut behind them. Unlike the other room though, the light stayed on and they saw a crudely built control room.

"Okay, now what are they gonna do, turn on the black lights and dance the hula for us?" Rain asked Tara.

"This is incredibly lame; apparently the TARDIS really doesn't know how to pick good haunted houses," Tara said.

"Exactly the point I was making earlier," Jack said to them.

The Doctor looked around and noticed no one was in the room except them.

"Okay, is this it? Just showing us an empty console room? Yeah, that's horrifying alright!" he said while he edged closer to Tara. "So, my Star, how's life treatin' ya?"

Just then the lights went off.

"Hold that thought," the Doctor muttered as darkness enveloped them.

There was silence while they waited.

"Everyone pee while you still can," Jack yelled.

"Actually Chris did the right thing. Jammy kid is outside right now and doesn't have to see the rest of this idiotic thing," Doc said.

"Dada?"

"Over here, Ya'nala."

By the time Namid found his hand, a spotlight had turned on in the ceiling directly in front of them. In the center of the spotlight was someone dressed in spray painted gold boots, shiny, forest green trousers and a shiny forest green hoodie with the hood pulled up over his head. He had blackened his entire face with black makeup so only the whites of his eyes were showing in the bright light. The Doctor rolled his eyes when he let out a sinister laugh.

"Welcome, humans," he said in a deep voice.

"We're not huuuuuuuuuuuman," Alan muttered to Jack in a sing-song voice.

"I am Zaltana, Lord of Darkness! You have stumbled onto my spaceship but now you will not leave here aliiiiiiiiiiiiive!"

The Doctor tapped Rain on the shoulder.

"See my hand, Morticia?" he said, showing her his steady hand. "See how not scared I am?"

"You dare to challenge me, Mortal?" the man said to the Doctor.

"Oh wow, he answers back to hecklers," Doc muttered to Jack. "HEY, ZALTANA! GET A DIFFERENT OUTFIT, YA LOOK NAFF AND I'M SURE YOU'RE THE LAUGHING STOCK OF THE UNIVERSE!"

"Don't mind my Brother, he loves yanking people's chains," the Doctor said to the man. "As for challenging you, I will but I wouldn't recommend you try my patience. I'm an expert alien fighter."

The man laughed.

"You, Stringbean? Don't make me laugh!"

The Doctor looked at Rain.

"He just called me Stringbean, what should I do?" he muttered to her.

"Do what you did to the Sycorax guy, throw an orange at a button and hope that opens a trapdoor to hell."

"Got one I can throw? I'm like Donna when I first met her, no pockets."

"Oh, ha ha," Donna said while everyone else giggled.

The man was confused, he laughed again to get their attention back on him.

"So? You are a brave alien fighter? Well, you'll be no match for me or my minions!" he said in a deep voice.

"What about me, Zaltana? Aren't ya gonna answer me and my comment about your naff kit?" Doc yelled.

"So now, foolish mortals, enter if you dare!" the man said before the spotlight went out.

"You still haven't answered my heckle!" Doc yelled as everyone laughed. "No self respecting alien tyrant would be caught dead in a glam outfit like that. You look like a ponce!"

The door on the other side of the room opened up, throwing a bit of light into the room. They looked around but couldn't see the alien.

"I guess Zaltana went back into hiding, Tara said as they walked out.

"S'pose so," the Doctor replied, putting an arm around her. "So, like I said, how have you been? I miss ya, you know."

"Daddy, I go with you every chance I get. Surely you don't miss me that much," Tara said, putting her arm around him and her other arm around Namid.

"I miss you all the time. You lived with us for donkey's years, you know. I miss not having you around and seeing your smiling face in the morning."

"I second that," Rain said, coming up behind her and putting her hands on her shoulders.

They turned a corner and paused when they noticed that at the end of it was a large yellow plastic slide that had been positioned over the steps of a staircase.

"Cool! A slide!" Namid said as she and her siblings ran towards it.

She sat down with her legs on it, pushed herself onto it and slid down while everyone came up behind Chaska and Sokanon and watched her.

"Wheeee!" she said as she went down it.

She hit bottom and stood up. The Doctor noticed her looking off to her right.

"Whoa!" he heard her say.

"What is it?" the Doctor said.

"Biiiig alien thing!" she said, looking up at him.

"Cool! I wanna see," Chaska said, sitting down.

He pushed off and slid down while her sister stood back. While Sokanon sat down, Chaska walked over to Namid and both of them stared off to their right.

"Daddy, is this real?" Chaska called up to him.

"Dunno, Chas, I'm not down there yet," the Doctor said as Sokanon slid down.

Sokanon got up and did the same thing as her brother and sister while she made room for the Doctor. The Doctor sat down and pushed off.

"Wheeeeeee!" he said in a high-pitched voice while he slid down.

"Ought-oh," he heard Jack say as he was going down.

The Doctor reached bottom.

"Ought-oh, what?" the Doctor said, standing up and turning towards him.

His mouth dropped open when he noticed his fabric tail was laying halfway up the slide. He felt his butt and cursed silently when he didn't feel his tail behind him.

"I'll get it, Love," Rain said as she sat down. "We can pin it or sew it back on when we get back to the TARDIS."

She shifted her body slightly and slid down on her side. She grabbed his tail on the way down and handed it to him when he stood up.

"Thanks, Latara," he said, taking it from her. "And that's what they've been looking at."

He pointed to the right and Rain saw a large papier-mâché statue of the queen alien from the Alien movies.

"Is that real, Daddy?" Chaska asked.

The Doctor and Rain stepped aside as Rose slid down.

"Well, I'm not for sure. I don't think so but there might be something similar to it in the universe, you never know," he said, shrugging.

"That was a creepy movie, saw it one night with me mates when I was ten. We couldn't sleep the rest of the night," Rose said, walking over to them.

"Is it really scary?" Chaska asked her.

"I thought so at the time but I don't think that anymore because I saw it when I was your age," Rose replied. "After traveling with your dad and fightin' real aliens, that sort of thing doesn't frighten me anymore."

Namid walked over to it with her sister to examine it while the rest of the family slid down the slide. Namid looked up at the ceiling while Sokanon touched the alien's claws.

"Hey, what are those things?" she said, pointing up.

The alien was positioned in a doorway so only Sokanon was able to see what she was looking at. Everyone else came forward and the Doctor looked up as soon as he entered the small room.

"Oh that?" he said when he saw what she was looking at. "Um, those are face huggers. They fly around and latch on to people's faces and force open their mouths and lay the alien eggs in people's stomachs."

"Ewwww," Sokanon said, making a face.

"Do aliens do that?" Chaska asked the Doctor as they walked away.

"Not to my knowledge. An egg would have to have a very thick shell in order to withstand stomach acid, but like I said, maybe there's something like that alien chappie out there somewhere."

"Well, I hope we never find it," Namid muttered.

The children screamed again when another man dressed in a grey alien mask jumped out of the shadows and screamed at them. The Doctor sighed.

"This is boring now. Where is the exit? I'd much rather go to a knees up than stay in here," he said.

"Same here," Donna said. "Never liked haunted houses all that much. The ones I went to as a kid were about as idiotic as this thing."

"Well if these are Zaltana's minions, he needs to find better help," the Doctor commented as they headed into another corridor.

They barely stopped by a scene where one man lay on a table and screamed as a young man who was covered in purple makeup, wearing a toga and a purple bald cap mimed shocking him with a crudely built silver machine. Everyone sped up and even the kids were trying to hurry towards the exit so they could go to the party. While they were doing that, the Doctor thought to Alan.

_We're waiting for ya, Chris is out of costume now. I figured he'd be more comfortable at the party without the Captain Jack kit on and I'll get him something to make up for the prize he could have won, _Alan thought._ Hopefully, you aren't too far from the entrance._

_I hope so and…_

His telepathic thought was interrupted when another man dressed in a Jason mask jumped out beside him and roughly grabbed his shoulder. The Doctor gave him a look that could melt ice and the man shrugged before going back into the dark.

_Sorry, Brother, a wanker just leapt out at me and grabbed me and I lost my train of thought. The berk's lucky I didn't punch his lights out._

Alan chuckled in his mind.

_Calm down, Brother, only harmless Halloween fun, _he thought to him.

_Yeah, well I could have done without him grabbing me and nearly jerking my arm from my socket. Anyway, we're quickening our pace and hopefully we'll be out in a mo._

_Well, Chris and I actually spotted a Halloween party at a hotel down the street. Perhaps we can go to that and save time, _Alan thought.

_Is it open to the public?_

_Think so._

_Brilliant. We'll hurry up then, _the Doctor thought.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After another ten minutes, they finally reached the exit and all of them breathed a sigh of relief when they stepped outside and saw Alan and Christopher waiting for them. Alan had cleaned the makeup off Chris's face and he was wearing Jeans and a blue t-shirt with Spider-Man on it.

"How was it?" Alan said as they walked over to them.

"Boring," the Doctor replied.

He smiled at Christopher.

"You alright?" he asked, tousling his hair.

"Yeah. I'm sorry."

"For what?" the Doctor said.

"Wetting myself," Christopher muttered.

"Nah, nothing to be ashamed of. I've had quite a few interesting accidents in my smalls over the years while I fought baddies," he said, winking at Alan while they laughed. "What matters is you're dry and we can move on to the fun party your father found. But first, a quick stop at the TARDIS to repair my tail so I can win first place in the costume contest."

"P'eh, you're not winning anything except my sympathy when you lose, old man," Alan said.

"We shall see, we shall see," the Doctor said, taking Rain's hand and turning away.

Rose chuckled when he blew a raspberry at him. She took the hands of both her men and all of them hurried back towards the TARDIS.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

Once they got back to the TARDIS, the Doctor and Rain went to their bedroom so she could fix his tail while the others went to the living room to rest. Namid lingered behind in the console room. The TARDIS rumbled warmly when she stroked the console in imitation of her father.

"Hey, TARDIS," she said while she stroked the rim. "How ya doin'?"

The TARDIS rumbled pleasantly and nudged her mind.

"We came in here cause Daddy gotta fix his tail," she said. "We were in this haunted house and we went down this biiiiig slide and when Daddy went down it, his tail came off and he was mad."

The TARDIS rumbled out laughter at that.

"So Mummy's helpin' him fix it so we can go to a Halloween party and see if they got a costume contest," she said, stroking the rim.

She smiled as she looked up.

"Daddy says he's gonna win it and Uncle Alan says he's gonna win cause he won a long time ago. I want Daddy to win so he'll tease Uncle Alan about it."

The TARDIS rumbled out laughter and nudged her mind. Namid stroked the rim lovingly while she became lost in her thoughts.

"TARDIS, I wish you could come with us so you can have fun too," she said sadly while she stroked. "It's not fair that you have to be in here after taking us everywhere and we get to go and explore things."

The TARDIS stroked her mind affectionately while Namid stroked her.

"I wish there was a way," Namid said.

"A way for what?"

She looked over her shoulder and saw Alan walking towards her. She sighed and looked at the console as he came up behind her.

"Just wish that the TARDIS can come with us when we go places," she said.

Alan squeezed her shoulder while the TARDIS rumbled to him.

"I know, love, but I don't think there's a way we could take her out of here," he said gently.

"Daddy could find a way," Namid said.

"What about me? Can't I find a way?" Alan said to her while she giggled. "What am I then, chopped liver? Huh? Why's it always gotta be Daddy who sorts it out?"

The TARDIS rumbled with laughter when Alan tickled her armpits before putting his arms around her. He glanced up at the ceiling.

"Isn't she gorgeous in her costume?" he said, pointing to Namid's head.

The TARDIS grunted a yes while Namid stroked her.

"Pussikins has his tail back on his body," Alan said. "He went to inform everyone of this but you swanned off somewhere. I was sent to find you and lo and behold, you're up here talking smack about us to our ship."

"I ain't talkin' smack about nothin'" Namid said while the TARDIS laughed.

"Uh-huh, you talkin' smack and dissin' us, Flygirl," he said, giving her armpits another tickle.

Namid and the TARDIS laughed.

"You better back off cause I'll pop a cap in your ass," Namid said to him.

She giggled when Alan let out an exaggerated gasp and tickled her some more.

"There you are, my daughter," the Doctor said as he came into the room.

"Brother, Namid's threatening to pop a cap in my ass again," Alan whined.

"Namid, how many times must I tell you not to pop a cap in people's asses," the Doctor said with mock sternness as he waggled his finger at her. "It's rude to kill people with your semi-automatic."

"Sorry, Daddy," she replied while he tousled her hair.

"Lookie, my tail is reattached," he said, turning around to show her. "Mummy used a couple of safety pins on it."

"It's all for naught though since I'm gonna win the costume contest," Alan said, sniffing.

"No, I am," the Doctor said.

"Nope, won once, win it again. Sorry, old man, no costume in creation outdoes THE COW!"

"We shall see, Captain Cud Chewer," the Doctor replied.

Alan reached over and jiggled his tail.

"Tail's a bit loosey, Pussy," he said.

"Do that again and I'll punch you in the udders," the Doctor said while Namid and the TARDIS laughed.

The Doctor glanced up at the ceiling.

"Okay, let's settle this. My ship, who'll win?" the Doctor said.

"Yeah, who'll win the costume contest?" Alan said to the TARDIS.

The TARDIS grunted.

"NAMID?" they yelled while Namid giggled.

"No, that can't be right," the Doctor said to Alan.

"Yeah, I think she said Alan in the middle of a sneeze. You know NA-ALAN-MEED!"

"No, no, I think she said Doctor and the translation circuits malfunctioned and we heard Namid instead."

"I think she just said Namid," Namid said.

"Were we talking to you, Cheeky Monkey?" Alan said while she giggled.

"Yeah," the Doctor said, poking her side. "Cheeky Monkey who likes to run her gobby!"

"Gobby Monkey!" Alan said, poking her other side.

"TARDIS, help!" Namid said, laughing as both of them poked both her sides repeatedly.

The brothers' mouths dropped open when the TARDIS put a force bubble between them and Namid.

"Oi! Don't you do that to me, I'm your owner!" the Doctor said while Namid bent over laughing.

"Cheeky Monkey TARDIS!" Alan said as the TARDIS grumbled out laughter and dropped the force bubble.

The brothers smiled when she stroked both their minds affectionately. The Doctor looked down when Namid tugged on his trouser leg.

"Daddy, after we go to the hotel, can we come back here and have another party in here so the TARDIS can come?" she asked.

"Mi-mi's upset that the TARDIS can't come with us to our party," Alan said to the Doctor.

The Doctor smiled at that and patted the rim of the console.

"She's right, you know, my poor girl, you do get a lousy deal, don't ya? Having to ferry us around time and space and never seeing what we see. Do you want us to come back here and throw a second Halloween party so you can join in?"

The TARDIS rumbled.

_I would love that, Beloveds,_ she thought to them.

"Yay!" Namid said, jumping up and down.

The Doctor patted her on the head.

"Well, hurry along then so you can go to the loo and then we'll all go to our first Halloween party of the evening.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

To their surprise, Donna decided to dress up while Rain was putting the Doctor's tail back on. Donna was dressed as a Spanish maiden with a long frilly red dress, shoes and a veil. Tara was dressed in her red sari but explained that she just felt like dressing up for the evening.

"I wouldn't consider this a costume," she said to the Doctor.

"I don't care what you call it, I love that you're wearing it again," the Doctor said, kissing her cheek.

They parked the TARDIS closer to the hotel, directly beside it in the alley and stepped outside. Everyone checked to make sure their makeup and costumes were alright before they walked inside the hotel. The lobby was large and elegant with brown leather chairs and gold lamps that provided soft lighting. The Doctor inquired where the party was and paid ten dollars each for everyone to get in to it. He then followed the receptionist's instructions and headed towards the back of the ground floor to a large elegant ballroom. The walls of the ballroom were white with gold trim and at the back was a large golden curtain that stretched across the wall for about twenty feet. There were tables scattered around the room that had black paper tablecloths on them. Each tablecloth had a jack-o-lantern motif around the bottom and a jack-o-lantern candle as a centerpiece. There were six metal folding chairs around each one. To the side there were two long tables with the same tablecloth, except on top were several bowls and trays with food and candy on them. In the far right hand corner, a man dressed as Dracula played instrumental music on a baby grand piano. They walked over to the first table and the Doctor picked up a small blue plastic cup that was filled to the brim with candy corn.

"Want some, Rainbow?" he said, offering it to her.

"Ooo, yeah," she said, taking it.

The Doctor gave some to Christopher, Sokanon and Chaska and picked one up for himself before moving down the table. The young children followed behind him, taking plastic plates and an empty plastic cup.

"Take only what you're gonna eat," Rain said as she and Tara came up behind the children. "Don't get a heap of food and leave it. That's wasteful."

"Yeah," the Doctor said, spinning around.

He waggled his finger and winked at Rain as the children giggled.

While they were deciding what to get, Alan sauntered over and showed them a sugar cookie that had been shaped and decorated like a black cat. It had black icing on top with yellow icing eyes and black slits through them. White icing represented the whiskers and mouth.

"Hello, I'm gonna make a general pig of myself with these, wanna join me?" he said to the children.

"How can you be a pig when you're a cow?" Chaska asked.

"I'm a Time Lord, I can do anything," he said, shrugging.

Doc came up beside him.

"Biscuit?" he said, showing him the cat.

Doc stared at it and the children giggled when he kept looking from the cookie to the Doctor and back again.

"Is that s'posed to be…" Doc said to Alan as he pointed to it and the Doctor.

The children laughed harder when Alan did a double take and jerked his head around at the Doctor.

"Hey! How'd you get on a biscuit?" he said while the kids bent over laughing.

"I'm a Time Lord, I can do anything," he said smugly.

"Oi, don't nick catchphrases off me, Pussywillow!"

"I'll do whatever I please, Bullcrap!" the Doctor replied, picking up a handful of peanuts and putting them on his plate.

"Bullcrap? The very cheek of him!" Alan said to Doc. "I…"

He pointed to the cap on Doc's head.

"That's still mine, you know, Brother has no right to it," he said, loud enough so the Doctor could hear him.

As Rain passed by Alan, she reached up and pressed the button hidden in Doc's hat. Alan's eyes widened when he heard it make noise and the Doctor paused to listen.

"Mine, it is mine, all mine!" Alan said in a sinister voice. "I must have the wonderful talking skull cap for myself."

Doc ran behind Donna and crouched down behind her while the children laughed.

"It will be mine, mark my words," Alan said as he followed the Doctor further down the table.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After getting their food, the family walked to two unoccupied tables and pushed them together so they could be near each other. Namid was giggling because the Doctor was eating his food while he continually stared at her with bulging eyes.

"Quit, Daddy," Namid finally said.

The Doctor took a bite of a pumpkin shaped tuna fish sandwich.

"Quit what?" he said, through the mouthful of food.

"Staring at me like that!"

"Like what?" the Doctor said after taking another quick bite.

Namid looked at Rain who was on the other side of him.

"Mummy, make Daddy go away."

"Go away?" the Doctor said in disbelief while everyone else laughed. "Go away? I'm your daddy, why would you want me to go away? I'm just sharing a meal with you, is all."

He bit into the sandwich and Namid giggled when he continued to stare while he ate with his mouth open and made loud, smacking noises with his lips.

"I'm a puss cat, I love tuna fish," he said to Namid.

"I don't care, stop it," Namid said while the other children giggled.

The Doctor shoved the rest of the sandwich in his mouth.

"Stop what?" he said, talking around the lump of food in his mouth.

"Mummy…" Namid said while the other children giggled.

"Hey," Rain said to the Doctor.

The Doctor jerked his head around and stared at her with the bulging eyes.

"Behave or I'll put you to sleep."

The Doctor hissed at her and jerked his head back around towards Namid while Rain and Rose laughed. He stared at Namid's half empty cup of candy corn and plucked one out.

"Hey! You got your own!" Namid said when he popped it in his mouth.

"Too lazy, too far," he said, gesturing to his cup on the left side of his plate. "Your candy corn is closer, I'll eat that."

Namid sighed when the Doctor grinned and plucked another one out of her cup.

"Quit!" she said when Alan walked over to her and plucked one out for himself.

"Hey, we're animals and we're hungry. You feed us!" he said to Namid.

"Yeah, I'm a cat. I gotta have humans around to feed me so don't make a fuss," the Doctor said.

Rose nudged Rain and got up with her Styrofoam cup of tea. Alan was plucking another piece of candy corn out of Namid's cup when Rose came over, put the cup under one of his bottom udders and mimed milking him while she squeezed it.

"Gotta have milk for my tea, Mister Moo Moo," she said as everyone except Alan laughed hysterically.

She finished and patted him on the top of his cow hat before she went and sat back down.

"That hurt you know. Squeezing my tender udders like…"

He looked down when Christopher walked up and grabbed two of the udders.

"Look at me, I'm wasting Daddy's milk!" he said as he squeezed the udders.

"Moo!" Alan said with mock anger as Christopher ran back to his seat, giggling. "Wasting my milk without permission, how dare you. I'll report you for…ooo, candy corn…"

"Quit!" Namid said as he grabbed several pieces and hightailed it back to his seat beside Rose.

The Doctor took his cup and poured the rest of his into it.

"There, since we've been nicking your corn, here's the rest of mine," he said as he put his empty cup back by his plate.

"Thank you," Namid said.

"You know what, Misses?" The Doctor said to Rain. "I think I'm gonna slink over there like the alley cats do and get me another de-licious tuna fishy sandwich. Mmm, mmm, love me tuna fishy."

Namid watched him get up and go back over to the table. She looked at her siblings and cousin.

"Hide," she said, pointing underneath the table.

All of them ducked down while the Doctor plucked a tuna fish sandwich from a plastic pumpkin-shaped plate. He started back while everyone watched him and stopped short when he noticed the children were missing. They laughed when he quickly glanced under the table, saw the hiding children and then mimed confusion as he sauntered over to his seat.

"Excuse me, my undead wife," the Doctor said as he sat down beside her. "I believe there were some wee ones next to me but now they've seem to have vanished. Any clues?"

"Nope, no clues at all," Rain said, shrugging.

The Doctor stared at her as he put his sandwich on his plate.

"You sure you're not a witch and I'm your familiar?" he asked.

Rain grinned.

"If you'd like me to be."

"Good, you're a vampire witch and I'm your demonic kitty," he said. "We'll enter the costume contest that way and win first prize."

"Gee, I would enter with you, Rose, but you chose to be an undead French maid this year," Alan said.

"I don't wanna enter the contest with you, I'll enter on my own," she said, raising her chin and giving him a haughty look.

She paused a moment, quickly stuck her tongue out between her teeth and ducked when Alan tried to grab the tip.

"I swear, Wifey-poo, one day that mouth is gonna be wired shut so that cheeky tongue will stay in there!" Alan said to her.

Jack finished eating and patted his stomach.

"Aaah, delicious, now when is this costume contest cause I wanna enter it."

The Doctor stared at him in shock. Jack was wearing his usual black trousers, white and blue shirts with braces and his long coat.

"Enter with what?" he said to him.

"Well, this is a genuine World War Two era coat. I'll enter as a World War Two era soldier."

Everyone laughed when the Doctor gave him a withering look.

"Right, Harkness, try and convince the judges of that," he said to him.

He turned his head and did a double take when he saw the children were back in their chairs. He leaned in to Rain.

"Oi," he whispered while Rain giggled. "Did you see that? The missing children have returned. How'd ya think they did it?"

"Magic wardrobe?" Rain whispered back.

"You mean, like…Narnia?"

"Sure."

The Doctor stared at the children for a moment while they giggled and ate their food. He mimed counting them.

"Two boys, two girls. Two sons of Adam, two daughters of Eve. Holy crap, Rain, I think you're on to something!" he said while Rose put her head in her hands and snorted out laughter.

"Gee," Donna said as she sat beside Jack on the other side of the table. "Think they were gone for years and grew up there and the moment they came back here, they were kids again."

Namid giggled when the Doctor tapped her shoulder.

"Pssst, hey kid!" he said in a loud stage whisper while Namid tried to bury her head in Sokanon's shoulder. "Hey, kid, did you go to Narnia for years and years and just got back? Is there a tiny wardrobe around her somewhere? Cause I wanna meet Aslan and chat with him, Puss Cat to Lion. Is there?"

Namid giggled into Sokanon's shoulder while the Doctor continued tapping her shoulder.

"Pssssst," he said while the children laughed. "Hey, kid, where'd ya go? Did you meet Mister Tumnus?"

"No, Daddy!" Namid said, turning her head to look at him for a moment before she slammed it back into her sister's shoulder.

The Doctor kept on tapping her shoulder.

"Then where'd ya go? I wanna know! I'm Mister Curiosity Killed the Cat!" he said in the stage whisper.

"We went under the table, Daddy," Chaska said.

The Doctor paused with his finger on Namid's shoulder.

"Was I talking to you?" he said while everyone laughed. "Is your name, Hey Kid? I don't believe so, Spidey, so eat your food and be quiet."

They laughed harder when he went back to tapping Namid's shoulder.

"So…" he said in the stage whisper. "Where'd ya go? Huh? Huh?"

Namid raised her head, grabbed her plate and cups and walked to the other side of the children where Doc was sitting.

"Homewrecker!" the Doctor said while everyone laughed.

He winked at Namid while Rain patted him on the head. Then he picked up his tuna fish sandwich and started eating it.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

When they were almost finished with their food, a man dressed as the Wolfman came to a microphone and announced they were having an apple bobbing contest. The Doctor munched on a sugar cookie and looked at the children. He noticed three of them were getting up to go but not Namid.

"Don't wanna do it, Rainbow?" he asked.

"Daddy, I'm wearing makeup. The water will wash it off before the costume contest."

"I've got makeup in my handbag, Namid," Rose said to her. "If you wanna do this, I'll reapply your makeup when you're through."

"Okay, Aunt Rose," Namid said, getting up.

She walked over with Jack and Ianto who decided to do it too. They stood in a queue in front of a large wooden tub. Inside the tub were several floating apples.

"Okay, if you don't know how to do it, it's easy; you get three tries to try to bring up an apple with your teeth. If you can do that, you get a prize along with the apple," the Wolfman said.

Jack and Ianto stood behind Namid. The other children were standing three kids further up in the queue. In front of Namid was a portly eight year old white girl who was dressed in a jack-o-lantern costume. She turned to look at Namid.

"Hi," Namid said cheerfully.

"Hi, you're Snow White?" she said loudly.

"Uh-huh," Namid said, nodding.

"You can't be Snow White, idiot. Snow White's a white woman, that's why her name is Snow White."

She had said that loud enough for the Doctor and everyone else to hear. Jack gritted his teeth and fought back the urge to punch the snotty look off the kid's face. Ianto, who was behind him, glanced at their family and winced when he saw the rage on the Doctor and Doc's faces and the nervous look on Alan's face while Rain urged them to let it go and be calm.

"What's your name?" the kid said to Namid.

Namid backed up slightly towards Jack and Jack put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"Namid," she said hesitantly.

The kid snorted.

"That's not a real name."

Jack's sensitive hearing picked up the Doctor muttering a threat about punching the kid's mouth off her face if she said anything else to his daughter. Everyone looked at Alan when he got up and walked towards the kid.

"Alan!" Rose hissed at him.

Alan held up his hand but kept his eyes on the kid who was now looking at him with narrowed eyes.

"Hello, what is your name, little girl?" Alan said when he reached Namid's side.

"Stacy," she said hesitantly.

"Uh-huh, Stacy, quit making rude remarks to my niece."

"I was just saying she can't be Snow White," Stacy protested.

"I don't care. That's none of your business," Alan said sternly. "You wanted to be a pumpkin, my niece wanted to be Snow White. She's trying to be friends with you and you're being rude, mean and racist. See these men behind her, these are her uncles and that over there are her two fathers. See how angry they are? Both of them have quite a temper and are very protective of this little girl so if I were you, I'd put a sock in it before you find yourself turned into a real pumpkin. Is that understood?"

Stacy saw the anger in his eyes and nodded meekly.

"Thank you, now turn around and leave my niece alone for the rest of the night."

Stacy turned around and Jack gave him a thumbs up when he leaned back up.

_I was wanting to tell her that the pumpkin costume fits her blimpo arse perfectly, but I'm not about to lower myself to her level,_ Alan thought to Jack.

_You were a lot calmer than I was,_ Jack thought back.

The queue moved up and Alan moved with Namid. He waited till they stopped before he put his lips to her ear.

"Don't listen to her," he whispered. "You can be whatever you wanna be and you're far more beautiful than Disney's Snow White anyway. She doesn't know what she's talking about so ignore her."

Namid nodded and Alan grinned when she hugged him tightly and sent love into his mind.

"Thank you," Namid whispered.

"Welcome, good luck bobbing for apples," he whispered back.

The Doctor gave him a grateful smile when he walked back to him.

"Handled that perfectly, far better than I would have. I was nearly ready to punch her lights out," the Doctor replied.

"Yeah, well, I was tempted to but I'd rather not spend a night in prison for punching Blubberbutt over there," Alan muttered as he sat back down beside Rose.

They all applauded when Chaska stepped up to the barrel.

"Go, Chaska!" Alan yelled.

When Stacy looked his way, Alan gave her a stern look and she quickly looked away again. He turned his attention back to Chaska who had removed his Spider-Man mask and held it in his hand while he got on his knees and looked into the water. He hesitated a moment and then plunged his head in. He activated his respiratory bypass system long enough to grab an apple stem with his teeth and his family applauded with everyone else when he brought his head out, grabbed the apple and held it aloft for everyone to say.

"Yes! That's my boy!" the Doctor said, applauding enthusiastically.

The man handed him a towel and he dried off his face. Once his face and hair were relatively dry. The man led him over to a small table and Chaska picked out a small plushie Dracula and carried it, the apple and the mask back to the table while Christopher tried his luck. The Doctor hugged him and bent into his ear.

"You used your bypass system, didn't you?"

"Yes," Chaska whispered back.

"Heh, my sneaky son. Just watch that you don't stay too long under the water when you do that."

He patted his back and Rain hugged him next while the Doctor watched Christopher. He got an apple on the second try and everyone applauded while the man led him to the table. He picked out a huge bag of candy corn and walked back to his father and mother who were grinning ear to ear. After he sat down they watched as Sokanon went next.

_Use your bypass system, Sis,_ Chaska thought to her.

Sokanon looked his way and smiled before she knelt down and stuck her head in the water. She rooted around and they cheered when she came up with the apple in her mouth.

"Yup, our children are talented," the Doctor said to Alan.

"Yes, indeedy," he replied.

Sokanon picked out a rubber bat and walked over to her father. She showed it to him.

"Any reason why you chose a rubber flying rat?" he asked her.

"I like it," Sokanon said.

Soki, love, you need your makeup reapplied?" Rose asked her.

Sokanon nodded and walked over to her while Rose grabbed her handbag. Alan took her bat and played with it while Rose worked on reapplying her makeup. The Doctor glanced over and smiled when Doc sat down beside him.

"Enjoying yourself?" he asked Doc.

"Yes, except when that brat got nasty with Ya'nala."

"Yes, I was about to let her have a piece of my mind when Alan got up."

Doc smiled when Namid noticed him and waved.

"Come and try this, Dada," she called to him.

"Yeah, you're the only one of the three of us who isn't wearing makeup," the Doctor said to him, "Give it a go."

Doc rose and walked over to Namid. He put his hands in his pockets and leaned over to look in her face.

"Good luck," he said to her.

"You gonna try it, Dada?"

"Nah, not this one. I'll do the pin the tail on the cat one though," he said, pointing to a picture of a tailless black cat on the wall behind them.

He moved up with her, talking to Namid, Jack and Ianto while they waited their turn. When it was Stacy's turn, Doc and Namid continued to talk but Jack and Ianto watched the portly child intently. When Stacy went down on her knees, she had to push back the voluminous pumpkin costume before she could lean over the water. She took a deep breath and plunged her face in. She rooted around for the apple and came up with nothing. She tried two more times but didn't win anything. Jack put his hand over his mouth to hide his smile when she slowly got to her feet and accepted a large towel from the man.

Byeeeee," Jack said under his breath when Stacy dried her face and hair and stomped off.

"Good luck," Doc whispered to his daughter before she went up to the tub.

Namid got on her knees, stared at the water while she activated her bypass system and then plunged her head in. She rooted around for thirty seconds before coming up for air.

"Come on, Mi-mi, you can do it," Jack said.

She tried a second time and everyone applauded when she came up with an apple.

"Yes!" Jack said, pumping his fist in the air.

"Yup, that's our girl," Ianto said proudly as Namid dried her face off and followed the man to the table.

Namid looked at everything and chose a small black cat plushie. The head, hands, feet and tail were made of soft fur but the body was made of cloth, black with candy corn all over it. She took it back to the Doctor while Doc followed her.

"This is you," she said, holding it up to him.

"That's not me, I have a white face," he replied.

Alan bent down into her ear.

"Okay, I'll give you five quid for the Candy Corn Kitty," he said in her ear.

"No."

"Puh-leeze?" Alan said.

He froze and stared at her with wide doe eyes. He batted his eyelashes but Namid sat down on the Doctor's lap and played with her kitty while the Doctor took the apple from her.

"Fine, I'll get a great biiiiiiiiiiiig cat plushie and you won't get to touch it!" Alan said, sulking.

He slumped down in his chair while Rose patted his shoulder.

"I want the Candy Corn Kitty," he whined while Rose and Donna exchanged looks.

"I'm glad you can put up with him because I would have punched him senseless long ago," Donna said while Tara giggled.

"So, no one watched me then."

They looked at Jack who was now in front of them.

"I won, you know," he said. "Did anyone see or applaud for me?"

"No, we were busy listening to Uncle Alan whine about not getting the Candy Corn Kitty," Tara said, pointing to Namid.

"I want the Candy Corn Kitty. I want Doc's hat. I want everything!" Alan whined while the children giggled.

He stared at the large rubber rat in Jack's hands.

"I don't want that though. What possessed you to choose that thing?" Alan said to him.

"This? Well, all I can say is Martha will get a big surprise when she goes to bed tonight," Jack replied, tossing it up in the air and catching it with one hand.

The Doctor and Alan shared a glance while Jack went to sit down.

"Should we warn Martha that she's gonna get a visitor in her bed?" the Doctor said.

"Nah, let her find out and then punch Brother's lights out. Be good for him," Alan said, shaking his head. "Teach him not to put rubber rats in Martha Smith's bed."

They applauded when Ianto grabbed his apple. He wiped his face off and walked over to the table. He picked out another candy corn cat plushie and headed back to the table with it and his apple.

"Here," he said, tossing the cat to Alan.

"You don't want this?" Alan said to him.

"No, I heard you whinging about not getting Namid's so I decided to be nice. And don't ever say I didn't do anything for you."

"Ooooh, Candy Corn Kitty!" Alan said, hugging it to his cheek while everyone laughed. "I love you!"

Everyone laughed when he stuck his tongue out at Namid. Then he sat his plushie down beside him, picked up his cup of real candy corn and munched on them while he watched the rest of the guests finish bobbing for apples.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

Rose was putting Namid's makeup back on her face when the Wolfman announced they were going to play pin the tail on the cat.

"Ooo!" Namid said. "Oh no, it's starting!"

"I've got most of it done. I can wait till you come back from the game," Rose said. "Go ahead and go."

"Thanks, Aunt Rose," she said.

She walked over to Doc who was munching on a mouthful of popcorn.

"Come on, Dada, you said you'd do this and…"

She giggled when Doc suddenly flung his head down on the table and snored loudly.

"Come on, Dada, let's have fun," she said, laying her head on his back.

"Go on, Dada, you promised the child you'd do it," the Doctor teased.

"I know, I know," Doc said in a muffled voice with his face still down on the table.

He smiled and lifted his head. He took his daughter's hand when he got up and he, the other children, Tara and Donna walked to it.

"Daddy?" Namid said, looking back at the Doctor. "Daddy, come on, you don't have to get wet here."

"Ooooooh, if I must," the Doctor said, getting up while Rain giggled.

He paused by Alan's chair.

"Well, Cud Chewer, you gonna let me win this round or are you throwing your hat into the ring as well?"

Alan grinned and beckoned to him. He whispered something to the Doctor. The Doctor thought for a moment and shook his head.

"Nah, not for me, do it for the children though so they can win prizes."

Alan made the OK sign with his fingers and watched while he hurried towards the queue.

"Okay, what are you up to now?" Rose asked.

Alan gave her an innocent look.

"Just a bit of creative visualization is all," he said, shrugging.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Namid held on to the Doctor and Doc's hands while they moved up in the line. In front of Doc were Chaska and Sokanon. The Doctor had put up a privacy block around Doc's mind and explained Alan's idea. Doc had grinned at that. Even though it was cheating, there was nothing in the rule book that said they couldn't do it. The Doctor noticed Stacy was about five people in front of them. She had looked his way but he gave her another warning glance and she quickly swung her head back around.

"I don't like that girl. She's mean," Namid said after she did that.

"I don't either, Mi-mi. She needs to learn a little respect and tolerance for others," he said softly to her. "That's why I always taught all of you to treat others the way you wanna be treated."

"What if you wanna be treated like crap?"

Namid giggled when Doc suddenly turned and asked him that. He grinned.

"Ah, Brother, you're loosening up a bit, I see," he said.

Doc shrugged.

"Yeah, well, for the most part, I've had a good evening. Lots of food, fun and merriment and nary a villain in sight. These are the sort of moments I love."

The person in front of Sokanon finished her turn and the Doctor glanced at Alan who gave him a thumbs up. The Doctor nodded and watched while Wolfman put a heavy blindfold on his daughter's eyes. While the man was spinning her around, Alan suddenly appeared in her mind's eyes.

"Soki, it's me, Alan. Shhh, don't say a word but let me help guide you to the kitty."

Sokanon stopped spinning and felt the man place the paper tail in her hand.

"Move forward," Alan said in her mind's eye.

Sokanon walked forward towards the wall. While she did that, Alan projected an image of the picture in front of her and the approximate distance she was from it. Sokanon smiled as she walked confidently towards it. When she reached the picture, she put her free hand against the wall and made sure she was there.

"Okay, Soki, up a little," Alan instructed when she raised the tail towards the picture. "Over to the right, now to the left a bit, up a bit more and I think that's got it. Pin it!"

Sokanon pinned the picture.

"Wow, excellent!" she heard Wolfman say. "I think we have a winner!"

Sokanon took off the blindfold and grinned when she saw the tail was almost perfectly aligned on the back of the cat. She looked at Alan and smiled her thanks when Alan winked and gave her a thumbs up. The Wolfman came up to her with a pillowcase filled with candy and prizes. He held it high enough so she couldn't see in as she put her hand in the bag.

"Oh, lucky dip this time around, eh?" the Doctor said to Doc.

Sokanon pulled out a ghost plushie and everyone applauded when she walked back to her seat.

"Soki better avoid Alan," Doc muttered to the Doctor, "if that cat was anything to go by, Soki's about to get mugged on the way back to her seat."

Soki sat down beside Alan and handed him the ghost. She giggled when he made it dance on her head.

"Nah, my daughter's kind enough to share it with him," the Doctor said to Doc.

Chaska was up next. Alan did the same thing he did with Soki but made him miss the target slightly so no one would wonder why both children had pinpointed the exact location. Chaska also reached into the pillowcase after he won and pulled out a CD of Halloween songs. He walked over to Alan and showed it to him. After that, it was a short wait before it was Doc's turn so he turned to chat with his family.

"I wonder if we missed the costume contest?" Doc said.

"I hope not, but if we did, we can always go back earlier in the evening and find another party. Just pop in, go through the costume contest and leave."

"Do you think I have a chance of winning, Daddy?" Namid asked.

She giggled when he lifted her up in the air and held her close to him.

"I think you'll manage to beat out even Uncle Moo Cow Alan over there!" he said to her.

He set her down and rubbed her arm while she leaned back into him. She glance up at Doc and sighed.

"I wish you could enter it, Dada," she said to him.

"You might be able to since Jack is apparently entering and telling everyone he's a World War Two soldier. Just tell everyone you're a man with a silly hat on your head."

"I seriously doubt Jack will get away with wearing his coat to a costume contest," Doc said. "And if they do let him in, he better not win or I'll throttle him."

"It's your turn, Brother," the Doctor said, pointing ahead of him.

Doc turned and allowed himself to be blindfolded.

_Need any assistance?_ Alan thought to him.

_No, getting a prize isn't that important to me, save the GPS trick for the children,_ he thought back.

Doc let himself be spun around and when the tail was placed in his hand, he moved forward.

"No," Namid said when he started walking too far to left.

"Shhh, you're not s'posed to help, Mi-mi," the Doctor said, laying a hand on her shoulder.

_Isn't that what Uncle Alan's been doing with Soki and Chas?_ She thought to him.

_Yes, but he did it silently and you'll have to be silent as well. You can't blurt out the way to the target in this game or Dada will get disqualified. _

Doc ended up pinning the tail on the cat's stomach.

"Aw, too bad, better luck next time," Wolfman said as he lifted the blindfold and looked.

Doc shrugged and gave the blindfold back to him while he thanked him. The Doctor patted Namid on the head and she came forward. The moment the blindfold was on; Alan stepped into view in her mind's eye and waved at her. After she was spun around and had the tail in her hand, Alan guided her along. The Doctor grinned when she managed to pin the tail on the cat and after she handed the blindfold back to Wolfman, she dipped her hand into the pillowcase and frowned when she pulled out a long purple piece of crepe paper that had been folded numerous times around a thin, plastic stick and secured with a rubber band. She took it back to Alan and showed it to him.

"What the heck is this thing?" she said.

"That is a Chinese yo-yo, they're brilliant, watch."

He took the rubber band off and flicked his wrist, the children gathered around while the paper unfolded and then folded back up when he raised the stick and it came back down onto it.

"Cool!" Namid said.

She took it from him and she and her sister and brother took turns playing with it. She was so busy playing with it that she was startled when the Doctor came up behind her and put a Dracula handpuppet on her neck.

"Blah, blah, I vant to suck your blood!" he said, imitating Bela Lugosi.

"Did you win, Daddy?" Chaska asked as they examined the cloth puppet.

"I sure did and without your uncle's assistance because I am that brilliant," he said proudly.

The children played with the puppet while Alan guided his son towards the cat. He smiled when his son pinned the tail and won a set of fake vampire teeth that had blood on them. He took them out of the plastic package and put them in his mouth. The Doctor chuckled when he menaced his father with them and hissed while Alan pretended to quake in fear. He glanced over at his mother who was now finishing Namid's makeup. He wandered over and pretended to bite her neck.

"Hey, you leave Aunt Rose alone, she don't wanna be a vampire," Namid said to him.

"Sorry, Mi-mi, it's too late, I'm…changing…into…"

Namid and Christopher giggled when she opened her mouth and pretended to bite her neck.

"Daddy! Help!" Namid said.

The Doctor jerked his head around. He had been watching Tara try her luck and hadn't paid any attention to them. His eyes widened when he noticed Rose gnawing on Namid's neck.

"Um…Rose, you quit…giving my daughter…love bites and remember you have a husband," he said.

Rose laughed and shook her head.

"No, my son bit me with his vampire teeth and turned me into a vampire so now I'm doing the same to Namid."

"Oh is that all? Phew, for a moment I thought you too were secret gay lovers, go ahead with the whole vampirism thing then."

He laughed when Namid ran over and smacked his arm before she went back towards Rose.

"Well, I was paying attention to Star, I didn't know you were over there having a vampire bitefest," he said to them.

He smiled when Tara walked up.

"Didn't win anything," she said, showing him her empty hands.

The Doctor reached behind him, grabbed Namid's cup of candy corn and put one in her palm.

"Consolation prize," he said.

"Ow!" the Doctor said when Tara swatted the side of his face with her free hand, "why are my children suddenly abusing me?"

Tara laughed and kissed the part of his cheek she swatted before she went back to her seat. The Doctor smiled fondly at her while she arranged her sari upon sitting. He looked at Rain who was sitting beside him.

"We need to get our little girls saris like that," he whispered to her.

"I know, they'd look so gorgeous in them."

"Yes, which brings us to the question of why you never wear yours."

"I do just for special occasions."

"But those are few and far between. I want to see you in it more often."

Rain giggled and accepted a kiss from him.

"I'll think about it," she said before they kissed again.

"Ew, cooties."

The Doctor looked at his son who was now directly behind him watching.

"Who asked ya?" he said when Chaska ran over to Christopher. "I didn't tell ya to come over here and watch us kiss. Cooties, indeed. You're the cootie monster and we all know it!"

He stuck his tongue out and grinned when Chaska did the same in return. He frowned when he felt something nuzzling his cheek and turned to see a mummy plushie in Donna's hand.

"I won!" she said happily.

"Hey! Congratulations. Aw, another thing to add to Alan's burgeoning plushie collection!"

"Damn straight! Fork it over!" Alan said, holding out his hand.

"Not on your life!" Donna said, walking towards Tara.

"You won't play with it anyway, it'll just sit in your sock drawer collecting dust," Alan said.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Finally, they got to the costume contest. The Doctor, Alan, their wives, Sokanon, Namid, Chaska and Donna got up when everyone was called to stand up in front of the tables. The Doctor glanced at Jack who was still sitting down.

"Not going?" he said.

"Nah, I was just kidding about that. Good luck!"

The Doctor nodded and walked to the end of the queue with the others. He noticed Stacy was down the near the other end. Namid noticed her too and glared at her.

"I hope she loses, Daddy," she whispered to him.

"Now, now, Namid, be nice," he said as he and Alan patted her shoulders. "It's probably the fault of her mummy and daddy and that's why she thinks that way. Don't sink to her level."

Namid nodded and held his and Alan's hand while they waited. She looked at the other costumes. Besides her family and Stacy, there was an Egyptian queen, a bee, an alien, Ghostface from the Scream movies, Freddie Krueger and several kids dressed as a butterfly, Lion, Wolverine, Jasmine from Aladdin and Optimus Prime. They all stood beside one another while the Wolfman and another judge dressed as Catwoman walked down the line and looked them over. When Catwoman got to Namid, she smiled sweetly at her and Namid smiled back and waved.

"Oi, no influencing the judges," Alan whispered when Catwoman went past him.

"I'll do what I want," she said defiantly as the Doctor chuckled.

They finished looking everyone over and Wolfman and Catwoman walked over to the edge of the tables and looked at everyone.

"Alright, we're gonna award three prizes each for both adults and children. A winner and two runner-ups. The children are first," Wolfman said. "Second runner-up is Spider-Man."

Chaska gasped when the Doctor and Alan beamed at him. For a moment he thought they were referring to someone else until Wolfman pointed him out. He beckoned to Chaska and Chaska walked up to him while everyone applauded. Chaska accepted an envelope from him and his thanks and went and sat back down beside Rain.

"What'd he win?" Namid asked the Doctor.

The Doctor shrugged. He noticed Chaska was watching them and hadn't opened it yet.

"We'll find out in a mo, Namid," he said to her.

"Okay, the first runner up is…Wolverine!"

Everyone applauded when an eleven year old boy walked over and received his envelope from Wolfman. Namid squeezed the Doctor's hand in anticipation and he squeezed back.

"And our winner is…Jasmine!"

Namid and Sokanon groaned when a five year old girl walked over and accepted her envelope.

"It was rigged. She charmed them with her age and cuteness factor," Alan muttered to the Doctor. "These two are far more beautiful and more sophisticated than Miss Nursery School."

"I agree one hundred percent," the Doctor said.

The Wolfman told the children to sit back down and Namid squeezed her father's hand.

"Good luck, Daddy."

"Ahem!"

Namid looked at the expectant look on Alan's face.

"I hope you lose!" she said quickly before running off.

Alan's mouth dropped open as the Doctor sniggered.

"I love you too, Mi-mi," he said sarcastically.

"Okay, now for the adults, the second runner up is…the vampire!"

The Doctor cheered when he pointed at Rain. She walked up and accepted her envelope before she walked to the table and accepted hugs from her children.

"First runner up is…Egyptian Lady!"

The woman dressed as the Egyptian queen walked over and accepted her envelope. The Doctor and Alan glanced at each other.

"Moment of truth, Tom Cat," Alan said.

"So it is, Cock and Bull," the Doctor said, "Prepare to taste defeat."

"You first," Alan said.

"And the winner is…the big bumblebee!"

Both their mouths dropped open and Rose bent over in silent laughter when a fat man dressed as a bee walked over to accept his envelope.

"We…didn't win?" Alan said mournfully.

"Didn't win a prize?" the Doctor said just as mournfully.

Rose patted both their shoulders.

"Don't feel bad, I didn't win either," she said as she walked away.

"Yeah, well, we didn't expect ya to because your undead French maid costume was pants," Alan muttered to the Doctor while the two of them walked back to the table.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

After the costume contest, everyone milled around while the guests slowly left the hotel.

"Poor Daddy, you didn't win," Namid said to the Doctor. "That's okay, I didn't win either."

"You should have, you and your sister should have won first place along with Chaska," he said.

He looked at his son who had opened his envelope and was looking at his prize.

"Whad ya get, Son?" he asked as they walked over to him.

"I got a twenty dollar gift card to Toys R Us," he said, showing him the laminated red card with a cartoon Geoffrey Giraffe in the center of it.

"Oh, just what you need, more toys," the Doctor teased while he ruffled his hair.

He smiled at Rain when she came up beside him.

"What did you get, Latara?" he asked.

"Thirty dollar gift certificates to McDonalds. So now both you and your brother can drown your sorrows with a Big Mac."

"So what did the winners get, I wonder?" the Doctor mused.

"I heard the woman dressed as the Egyptian queen say to someone that she got a fifty dollar gift card to Wal-Mart. Other than that, I have no clue," Rain said, shrugging.

"Ah, well. Anyway, let's get going so we can celebrate the second party before we all pass out from exhaustion," the Doctor said.

They rounded up the rest of the family and after making sure they had everything, they headed back to the TARDIS.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The moment the Doctor opened the TARDIS doors, everyone was pleasantly surprised. The TARDIS had decorated the console room while they were gone. The roundel lights were dimmed down low and garlands of paper ghosts and Jack-o-lanterns crisscrossed the ceiling. Sitting on the console was a large lit Jack-o-lantern that glowed in the semi-dark room.

"I see the TARDIS decorated in anticipation of the second party," the Doctor said as they stepped inside and shut the doors.

"Yay! We're gonna party with the TARDIS!" Sokanon said, skipping towards the console.

There was a large flash and several gift bags appeared on the console. They were black with an orange Jack-o-lantern on the front and above each Jack-o-lantern was one person's name in orange block letters. The children took their bags and looked inside them. The adults came close and watched while they pulled out assorted sweets, small Halloween toys and a small purple fruit. The children examined the round fruit.

"What's this?" Chaska asked.

"It's a manock plum. Try it, it tastes like chocolate which is why I think the TARDIS included it with the goodies," the Doctor said.

The children took a bite.

"Ooo, this is good," Sokanon said, licking purple juice off her lips.

"Yeah, it tastes like a chocolate bar," Christopher added.

"What do you say then?" Rain said.

"Thank you, TARDIS!" they yelled while the TARDIS stroked their minds.

The adults checked their bags and found the same things inside. Once they got their gift bags, the TARDIS urged them towards the back door. They walked through in into a large room that had been decorated with the same kind of decorations they saw in the console room. Halloween themed songs were playing overhead as the family members walked over to tables decorated with black and orange linen tablecloths and skull candles. The children noticed some place cards at one table with little orange cupcakes in front of them. The top of each cupcake had a Jack-o-lantern face on it. While the children ate the chocolate cupcakes, Namid noticed someone coming inside the room.

Namid nudged her siblings and cousin when the woman smiled at them and headed towards an empty seat on Namid's left side. She was young, in her late twenties, with long flowing brown hair. She had sparkling brown eyes that glowed in the light of the skull candles. She was wearing an ankle length dark blue robe with embroidered gold Seal of Rassilons around the bottom of it. The children stared at her in confusion and looked at the adults. Rather than being shocked, all the adults were amused.

"Do you know who she is?" the Doctor asked the children.

The children stared at the woman while she smiled lovingly at them. Sokanon got out of her chair and walked around to the woman's left side. She studied her robe while the woman smiled and quietly watched her.

"You kinda got on what Daddy used to wear. Daddy wore robes like this, only his was red."

The woman nodded but said nothing to her.

"You got that design too that's in Daddy's Cloister Room," Namid added, pointing to the Seals of Rassilon. "I saw it on the wall in there."

"Correct, Namid," the woman said.

The children were startled by her voice, thinking they'd heard it somewhere before. Meanwhile, the adults were chuckling and nudging each other. Namid walked around the woman towards their table.

"Hey, who is this?" she asked the Doctor as she pointed at the woman.

"You really don't know?" the Doctor said, amused.

"No, who is she?"

The Doctor glanced at the adults before he put his hand on her shoulder.

"She's the guest of honor," the Doctor said. "You asked her to come to the party and here she is."

Namid's eyes bulged and she turned to look at the woman.

"Hello, Namid. My beloved," she said pointedly.

The adults laughed when Namid's jaw dropped open.

"TARDIS?" she said as the adults laughed harder.

"Correct," the TARDIS said.

"Huh? You're a person?" Sokanon said, getting up with the other children for a closer look.

"I can be. This is a special holographic interface I use when I wish to speak to someone directly," the TARDIS said. "Your father is correct. You asked me to come to the party so here I am."

"You're a real person?" Namid said, not understanding.

The Doctor got up and walked over to the hologram. He lowered his hand towards her head and the children jumped when his hand went through the seemingly solid form. He took his hand back out while the TARDIS smiled at Namid.

"See, it's a holographic image," he said to them.

Namid began to get excited.

"So…so…you can follow us outdoors and see what we see?"

"No, my darling, I can only maintain this form inside the walls of the TARDIS. I'm still the ship even though I'm projecting this image for you."

The children groaned as the Doctor chuckled.

"Well, how come this is the first time I've seen you do this?" Namid asked, pointing to the hologram.

"Because this form takes a lot of energy to manifest and in order to hold it for any amount of time, I need to put all the energy I can into it and that means afterwards I need a long rest to bring my energy levels back up in order to do it again."

"Oh," Namid said. "Can you play with us though?"

"Play?" the TARDIS said, frowning.

"Yeah, do something neat for us," Sokanon said.

"Yeah, TARDIS, show off," Jack added.

"Very well, I will," TARDIS said.

Suddenly an enormous pumpkin playhouse appeared behind them. It was as tall as the Doctor and about ten feet across with a Jack-o-lantern face on the front of it. The children walked over to it and looked inside the eyes.

"Ooo, it's bigger on the inside!" Namid said while the adults laughed.

They stepped back when the pumpkin opened its mouth wide.

"Go inside it, my beloveds," the TARDIS said.

"Cool!" Chaska said as they stepped through the wide mouth.

"Hmm," the Doctor said as he tried to do the same.

The adults laughed when the mouth slammed shut and the pumpkin swiveled back and forth as if it were shaking his head.

"Oi, let me in! I wanna see what's in there," he said to the TARDIS.

Namid leaned her head out the right eye and looked at him.

"Daddy, they have dancing skeletons in here," she said to him.

"Where?" the Doctor said, walking over.

Namid stuck her head back in and the moment she did, the eyes and nose closed up.

"OI!" the Doctor said, pounding on it while the adults and children laughed.

He turned to the TARDIS who was chuckling softly.

"I want in, you let me see the dancing skeletons!" he said, putting his hands on his hips. "This is so not fair. I wanna see the dancing skeletons!"

"There's bouncing pumpkins in here too, Daddy!" Chaska called out.

"Oh, that tears it, I wanna see the dancing skeletons and bouncing pumpkins," the Doctor said.

He walked over to the Jack-o-lantern and looked back at the TARDIS who was smiling sweetly at him.

"Let me in! I'm your owner and I demand to be let in!" he said while the children watched from the triangular nose and eye windows. "This isn't funny, let me in!"

The TARDIS laughed when he tapped his foot while he eyed her with mock anger.

"Come on, Daddy, come and see the pumpkins," Namid yelled to him.

"Well, can I see the pumpkins or not?" the Doctor asked the TARDIS.

She laughed and shook her head.

"What? No! I must see the dancing skeletons and bouncing pumpkins!"

He walked over to the windows intending to peek inside and everyone laughed when the TARDIS made them vanish, leaving a solid pumpkin to frustrate the Doctor.

"No!" he said, kicking it while he heard the children laughing.

He turned towards the TARDIS.

"Open up! I must see the dancing skeletons and bouncing pumpkins for myself," he said.

The TARDIS smiled and shook her head. The Doctor grinned and suddenly fell to his knees in front of her.

"Please!" he said, clasping his hands while the adults laughed. "Oh please, please, please let me inside! Do I have to beg for you?"

"Ha, the TARDIS will open it for me!" Alan said, getting up and strolling over to the pumpkin, "she likes me better."

Everyone watched while he stood in front of the pumpkin but nothing happened.

"Any minute now," he said, tapping his foot while his family laughed. "Yup, any minute my faithful TARDIS will open the pumpkin up for me."

He frowned when nothing happened and looked back to make sure the TARDIS was still there. Sure enough, she was and he walked over to her.

"I'm your favorite, right? You'll open it up for me, right?" he said while she laughed.

Rain snickered. She got up and walked over to the pumpkin.

"TARDIS, can I go inside?"

Everyone except the Doctor and Alan laughed when a big hole appeared in the front of the pumpkin and Rain stepped inside. They laughed harder when both brothers scrambled to get to it and it closed up just as they reached it.

"No fair!" Alan said while Rain and the children laughed inside the pumpkin.

"Wow! Alan, you gotta see this! There's all these dancing skeletons and bouncing pumpkins!"

"Put a cork in it, Rain!" Alan yelled while his family laughed harder.

He glanced at the Doctor and both of them fell to their knees, begging to be let in while the adults roared with laughter. While they were doing that, the TARDIS opened the windows in the side of the pumpkin and the children and Rain watched with amusement as the Doctor and Alan pleaded to be let inside. While they were pleading, Alan looked back and noticed the audience watching through the windows.

"Oi!" he said as the Doctor jerked his head around.

They leapt to their feet and let out a string of curses when the windows closed up again.

"I want in!" Alan whined as he jumped up and down.

"Hey, out there!" Namid yelled from inside the pumpkin. "Now the skeletons are juggling the pumpkins!"

"Alright, that's it!" the Doctor said, stomping over to the TARDIS while the others laughed. "You let me inside so I can watch the show!"

The TARDIS gazed at him lovingly.

"As you wish, my beloved," she said.

The Jack-o-lantern's face appeared and the mouth opened up wide so everyone could go inside. The TARDIS followed everyone inside as they bent over and stepped through the gaping mouth. When they got inside, they noticed that everyone was several feet away from them, sitting on padded chairs and eating popcorn while seven skeletons juggled massive pumpkins for them. More chairs appeared beside them with a bag of popcorn on each one and the adults took their popcorn, sat down beside the others and enjoyed the show while the TARDIS stood nearby and gazed upon them with love.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Ah, what a night!" the Doctor said as he and everyone else left the party room.

Namid looked back at the TARDIS who was following behind them. She frowned when she noticed that her body wasn't as solid as it was before.

"TARDIS, what's wrong?" Namid said.

"I'm losing energy, Namid. I need to let go of this body so I can rest," she said. "But it was nice being with all of you and I'm so glad you had a fun Halloween."

She smiled at the Doctor and Alan.

"And you both need to wear those outfits more often; I like them better than the clothes you usually wear."

"Oh no, this is about to come off. It's hot and itchy and the makeup feels odd on my face."

"Yeah, I'm a little tired of the cow. I want a nice hot shower so I can be me again," Alan said.

"Yes, shower sounds lovely right about now, " Rose muttered.

The children watched as the adults headed out the door before they turned to the TARDIS who was now transparent.

"Please do this again, I like your body. You're very pretty," Sokanon said.

"I will. But it'll take awhile before I can do this again so be patient," she said. "But I'm glad all of you had a wonderful time tonight and I know you made your parents happy just by having fun."

"Yeah, I like it when they do things like that with us," Namid said.

"Nooooooooo!"

They turned around when they heard Alan moaning and watched as Doc hurried into the room. He took the hat off and placed it on Namid's head.

"Here, I deem you the most worthy of this," he said, bending over to give her a kiss.

"Nooo!" Alan said, stepping into the console room. "That's mine! I claimed it for me!"

"Oh no!" the Doctor said, coming in after him. "That was mine, I claimed it first!"

"Well, I own it and it's my right to choose who gets it and I choose my daughter!" Doc said to them while the children laughed.

Alan blew a raspberry at him.

"I have Candy Corn Kitty anyway," he said, turning around and stomping out the door.

The Doctor watched him go.

"Don't worry, Candy Corn Kitty will cheer him up and he'll forget aaaaaaaall about the hat," the Doctor said to Doc.

He smiled when the children came up and hugged him. The children turned to say goodbye to the TARDIS and noticed her hologram had vanished. They let out a moan of disappointment while the Doctor and Doc patted their heads.

"Come on, you lot, get out of that kit and come have some showers so we can rest," the Doctor said to them.

The children said goodbye to the TARDIS who grunted and stroked their minds lovingly in return. Then the children followed the Doctor and Doc out the door and once they were out, the Doctor said goodnight to the TARDIS and shut the door.

THE END.


End file.
